Ancient stories tell of a golden age when all was peaceful, plentiful, and beauty was within and all around. There’s not usually a description of how that was so, such as did people and animals eat; was the temperature comfortable no matter where one was; was there no commerce, or what was the system.

Another source of idyllic, serene, and untroubled environments is from the Buddha who, in sutras, frequently names particular buddha realms where there is no want (desire), therefore no needs (attachments), and therefore no hostility by any being or group toward another being or group. The inhabitants of such places are bodhisattvas, no matter what species of being they are. There is a punchline here that is never stated by the Buddha: all is content and tranquil, precisely, because the inhabitants are bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas have perfected harmlessness and empathetic caring for others in a way similar to how we would not knowingly put our hand in a fire. Bodhisattvas don’t review others as so, nor themselves as so. Without a concept of duality, there is no personal desire, thus no attachments or aversions, thus no aggression subtle or gross or in between.

How does one bring forward and cultivate such bodhi qualities?

• First, know and have confidence that such qualities are already present within one’s self.
• Second, notice one’s good fortune and pray it forward for others.
• Third, repeat 1 & 2 frequently, until such thoughts of warmheartedness and empathetic caring become normal habits of consciousness.

Our January slow-down will include a review and re-assertion of some of the practices we’ve been cultivating on and off the cushion. All will bring forward and establish bodhi qualities.