When explaining meditation, the Buddha often drew analogies with the skills of artists, carpenters, musicians, archers, and cooks. Finding the right level of effort, he said, is like a musician’s tuning of a lute. Reading the mind’s needs in the moment—to be gladdened, steadied, or inspired—is like a palace cook’s ability to read and please the tastes of a prince.
Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu teaches the joy of effort by explaining that “the path doesn’t save all its pleasure for the end. You can enjoy it now.” Read the rest here.
[Image: Explosions in the Sky, David Poppie, 2007, mixed-media collage, 24 x 24 in.]
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