“If many beings have been born in the Pure Land

and they have vowed to help us,

where are they?”

They could be here already! They just don’t walk up and say “Hi, I’m from the Pure Land, and I’m here to help you.” We wouldn’t believe them! Remember the story of a man who drowned and went to heaven?

This man asked God why God hadn’t saved him from drowning. God asked if he remembered the farmer who came by in a boat. The farmer offered to rescue him but he declined, saying he was waiting for God. “That was me,” God said. “But you refused my help because you were waiting for God.”

Like that man, we have preconceived ideas of how awakened beings will help us. So we’re not aware of true help when we see it. It comes from those who humbly work to build a center. From the cooks who prepare the meals at a retreat so we can chant in the cultivation hall. From the master who spends hours trying to find the right words to help his students understand the teachings.

Our help is here already. We just need to open our hearts and minds to see it.

Often, others see the benefits of our practicing Buddhism before we do.

Find contentment in the action, 

not the result.

Let’s face it; there’s not a lot in life we have control over. We may do our best to win in a game, but if others play more skillfully, our dream of a win will end up in disappointment. We may propose a solution to a problem at work, but if another one is selected, here too, we’ll be disappointed. 

By placing our hopes for happiness on attaining our desired result, we’re setting ourselves up for a lot of unhappiness. There’re too many external variables that will factor into the various outcomes. 

Just too many things beyond our control.  

But what if, instead, we focus on what we can control? 

For example, playing our utmost or being super creative with the solution? Knowing that we did our best, we’ll find satisfaction in having done so. We can then view winning the game or being congratulated on our brilliant solution as icing on the cake.