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On the backdrop of time

A poem on the Buddha’s love

A white Buddha statue on the lawn at the Abbey.
Buddha at Sravasti Abbey.

Many rebirths upon the stream. Each step a path.
Every imprint decides a moment; every moment shall surely pass.
Time allows the deed; its essence a means that matters.
The simplest act gleams … lessons humbly sought after.
To return an awoken breath is life in all its glory.
Enlightenment pristine … the continuance of love’s story.

George’s commentary on the poem

This is what so far my mind has reasoned from all the Dharma input and guidance you’ve given me.

“Many rebirths upon the stream.”
The stream is the mindstream, and many rebirths may occur along this mindstream, until we become a Buddha.

“Each step a path.”
With each rebirth, each step or day begins that path or is the continuance of that path.

“Every imprint decides a moment; every moment shall surely pass.”
The imprints on our mindstream come from karma, and even if we have good moments or bad, they will pass and we can create either another good moment or bad.

“Time allows the deed; its essence a means that matters.”
Time doesn’t matter; it’s the actions or deeds done with this time that matter. Time is infinite; it will be there. But it’s this time that allows us to share or contribute to life, and the essence, the means, for why and what we do is what’s important, what matters.

“The simplest act gleams.”
We usually think we have to do something grand for it to be worth something or to be seen as important. But helping in simple ways, directed towards simple people, can be worth so much. Like you simply being and playing a role in my life.

“… lessons humbly sought after.”
In learning this truth, we have to humble ourselves and seek to want to care unselfishly about others.

“To return an awoken breath is life in all its glory.”
Once someone who is awakened shares with us this wisdom and gift, that knowledge is like the air we need to live. So in you passing on your awakened breath, and letting me breathe this wisdom, is making your actions meaningful, my receiving it a blessing, and is that not the whole meaning of life? A good life!

“Enlightenment pristine”
Perfection, Buddha, clean and …

“… the continuance of love’s story.”
For isn’t Buddha all love, the very act of love, love itself? Reaching enlightenment to me is the way to keep the story of love alive.

Guest Author: Blue Mitra