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Honor Thy Self Graduate! - May 2006 |
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Written by Rev. Bruce Nakamura
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Saturday, 13 May 2006 |
Editor's Note - This is an excerpt from the May 2006 issue of the Buddhist Wheel
Congratulations graduates! High school graduation is truly an
exciting moment. For the past 17-18+ years, you and your family have
undertaken a journey of your challenging development. Isn’t it truly
amazing? Please acknowledge and thank your parents, family and teachers
who never stop loving and hoping the best for you.
There must have been hectic, even hard-pressed moments, when your journey seemed too difficult to go on. But somehow, you persevered!
Here is the first point we older fogies leave with you. Take the first step in the direction that you feel is right. You might get very frustrated trying to sit down and make the right decision for the “rest of your life.” In reality, you really can’t and don’t. Each experience brings new horizons with questions and new inspiration. Sure, you might not know now what might be further down the line, but that first step is so important. As you journey through your years of study and the experiences along the way, each step leads to another, then another.
Next, don’t be afraid to try and give your utmost to complete each step. Concentrate on each moment, each day, each week, each month, each semester, and each year. Don’t try to get way ahead of yourself. Take each day one step at a time.
Then, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Discovering ourselves is just as important as discovering who and what’s around us. A mistake is simply a discovery along the way. If you’re not sure what profession you’ll be entering, stay in school to find out. You might begin to naturally focus on a particular interest to explore and develop toward a worthy career. If not academics, consider some form of technical training. Going to commercial or technical school can be a rewarding part of your journey toward becoming a contributing member of society. Self-discovery lies in every part of our human development. Simply put, this is the compassionate dharma. Nothing is a mistake. Don’t say, “I shouldn’t have…; each experience is part of a larger journey of insight where Buddha-wisdom makes us more committed and caring.
Finally, don’t be afraid to try something new. Don’t prejudge yourself. Establish short-term goals – this means try to accomplish one thing at a time. If you want to get into police science to become a detective, you can’t simply do it instantly. You’ll need to complete each step of training along the way. Any accomplishment of real consequence requires hard work, commitment, discipline, and yes, sacrifices.
Make yourself your best standard. Do not be hard on yourself when it seems others are doing better than you. Your standard is determined by your own past, present, and future. Don’t pit yourself against others. If you put yourself “above others,” you’ll turn around and feel contempt for those “below you.” This judgmental attitude can create all sorts of pain and unnecessary emotional rubbish. When you’re responsible for all that you do, you will have achieved steady growth into someone authentic and real, so truly appreciate yourself as nobody else can, except you. This is a crucial expression of Namo-Amida-Butsu.
Most importantly, take a few moments each day to be good to yourself. Take up a sport or get into nature to appreciate the universe. The Buddha-cosmos is in and all about us; we are in fact part of that wondrous, miraculous cosmos. Take time to enjoy and meditate in it. Don’t put life off. Don’t think you can expect to catch up later. We never catch up. We never make up. There is no tomorrow in seeking the truth!
Your loved ones and teachers wish you a life of challenges in your journey of growth. May these life junctures provide significant expressions of a deeply compassionate life shared with others. Remember that our life is not simply accomplishing goals. It’s a deeply lived and shared journey – one step at a time—in the right direction. Honor thy self, graduate!
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