拈華微笑 (Nenge Mishō)
I may not fully grasp the truth that Mahākāśyapa realized, but I still wish to emulate his smile. This is a story from the time when Shakyamuni Buddha delivered a sermon on Vulture Peak. Without saying a word, the Buddha picked up a lotus flower and gently showed it to the assembly.
While the disciples could not grasp his meaning, only Mahākāśyapa understood his intention and smiled back gently. Mahākāśyapa led a life of strict asceticism—wearing coarse robes, eating only what he received through alms, and wandering without a fixed abode.
Though I cannot live as he did, I have chosen to cultivate vegetables instead; a humble practice that, in my own way, serves as a substitute for his gentle smile and simple way of life.
扫塵除垢 (Sweeping Away Dust and Defilements)
Troubled by his own lack of intellect, Chūlapanthaka was instructed by the Buddha to sweep the temple grounds while reciting, "Sweeping away dust, removing defilements."
These "dust and defilements" represent not only physical dirt but also the ignorance clouding the human mind.
Through his diligent practice, he gradually grasped the deeper meaning of these words and eventually attained enlightenment.
This episode reminds us that true wisdom is not merely accumulated knowledge, but the result of persistent practice.
If I continue to sow my own seeds each day, perhaps in time, I too may glimpse a sliver of the awakening that Chūlapanthaka achieved.
