Editor's Note - This is an excerpt from the October 2007 issue of the Buddhist Wheel

One day the Buddha Gotama Sakyamuni and his disciples were passing a village. As he usually did on these journeys, the Buddha chose a large shade of trees at the edge of the village to sit and rest under so the sangha could recuperate from the heat. During these respites those who lived nearby came to seek spiritual counsel and listen to the Buddha’s teachings.

A young man from the village joined the crowded gathering. Impatient with the swelling of the crowd and even more suspicious of the sangha, he began to shout out to the Buddha: “Why do you come here creating a spectacle? You’ve only come to take advantage of us people. With honeyed words, you expect food, clothing, and even money! Just go away!

But the Buddha was not taken aback by these words. Maintaining a calm and peaceful countenance, the Buddha spoke kindly, asking the young man to please step forward. The Buddha inquired, “Young sir, if you have a gift for someone, but that person does not accept it, to whom does the gift then belong?”

The Buddha’s question took the young man by surprise. “I. . . I suppose . . . the gift would still be mine since I was the one who had the gift to begin with”, the young man responded.

“That is exactly so,” replied the Buddha. “If one has hurtful thoughts and angry words for another, but the other is not moved by  and  thus,  does  not  accept  these thoughts and words, to whom do these hurtful thoughts and angry words really belong to? Is this not the same as a gift returning to its owner?”

The youth was so taken by these words, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply, prostrating himself before the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in deep repentance and gratitude. Thus, were the Buddha’s words: “As a mirror reflects an object, as a still lake or pool reflects the sky, take care to reflect well before speaking and acting. Goodness and gentleness will always be cast back, just as suffering, anger, and pain cast back their harm.”

If someone casts anger towards you, consider before you cast back anger two or five-fold. Remember, you have the choice to accept this anger or not. In practice this means that our first and most important response is to remember the loving-kindness the Buddha’s teaching shared with all.  Listen to the call of “Namo Amida Butsu” arise from deep within. This is the heart and mind of great compassion. Its sound is heard and echoed in all beings throughout the universe.

As you hear the call of great compassion, begin to echo this great spiritual care by simply saying, “Naman dabu…Naman dabu…” “Naman-dabu is an abbreviated form of Namo Amida Butsu—the great power of wisdom-compassion already planted firmly in the soil of our deepest  consciousness. This soil is none other than the ground of universal compassion and care embracing beings amid the changes and uncertainty or life-itself.

When we are about to be taken by ‘anger’, we have a choice to lash out at others blaming them for our hurt and pain. Just as unwholesome, anger and delusion can be traced back to self-blame and unworthiness.

Namo Amida Butsu means though others seem to be in the wrong at first glance, one does not have to ‘forgive’ or ‘turn-the-other-cheek’. Rather foremost, we must endeavor to ‘forgive ourselves’. Doing this is crucial over ‘forgiving others’. When we refuse to let anger go, our thoughts become a vice that traps us. Trying to suppress anger is likened to a serpent’s recoil becoming more dangerous, striking with toxic venom. Anger may lead to rage and even violence, and moreover, painfully toxic to the self. No matter the perceived impulse, as unwholesome thoughts arise, recall the Blessed Name, so that its content and power, like an unopened gift, transform anger, greed and delusion into gratitude. 

During this period on the Buddhist calendar, disciples of the Buddha-dharma gather in praise of the Buddha’s Virtues –(Sanbutsu-E or Aki Higan); and the annual Sangha Memorial (EitaiKyo)–remembering our debt of gratitude to our sangha pioneers and spiritual masters. May this ‘unopened gift’ awaken deep listening and hearing, ever responding to the Heart of great compassion.

Namo Amida Butsu.

Visit our downloads section to get the complete issue.