| "A Raindrop falls | | | | This is just like the raindrops in our landscape. Every |
| Will it feed a river, flower perhaps or creature | | | | thought is like a raindrop and we can never really |
| perhaps? | | | | predict what affect it's going to have on our character. |
| A thought trickles through the mind | | | | So when I study a person, I can't see these previous |
| Will it feed fear, anger or compassion? | | | | influences and I certainly am never going to be able to |
| Karma is born | | | | grasp the rich history that has created this person. Of |
| We are a landscape" | | | | course the person concerned, being studied by me, |
| This article was inspired by an experience a couple of | | | | believes they understand their own character. They will |
| years ago now, on Holy Isle, the Tibetan Buddhist | | | | have a much richer view than I do. They may even |
| Island, just off Arran. I was running a Tai Chi and | | | | have some knowledge of the 'droplets of water' that |
| meditation retreat there and taking some time out to | | | | have taken them to where they are now. (This, if you |
| rest. There is a lovely mountain in the middle of the | | | | meditate on it, on your own 'droplets of water', makes |
| island and one morning I took a run up it. I enjoy trail | | | | you realise how little you know about yourself and |
| running. It keeps me fit and sometimes the | | | | about your own landscape. With practise, you start to |
| concentration required is, to me, another form of | | | | dissolve. This is key experience if you are making |
| meditation. The view from the top is gorgeous. I was | | | | progress with Buddhism I believe. It may sound a little |
| standing on top and watching the rain sweep across | | | | frightening, but the experience is actually rather |
| the distant hills on Arran. You can see Goat Fell from | | | | liberating). So, just like my perceptions of the landscape, |
| there and it was looking very dark and moody across | | | | my understanding and knowledge of the person |
| there that morning, although my hill top was in sunlight. | | | | before me is severely limited. How can I truly know |
| Watching the rain and the landscape from a distance | | | | and connect with this person when I view them from a |
| like this, it made me realise that I was watching | | | | distance like this. |
| dependent arising in action. For the benefit of | | | | To truly connect with a landscape, we have to walk |
| non-Buddhists reading this, dependent arising, or | | | | within it. We can choose not too of course. But if we |
| pratityasamutpada, is the understanding that nothing | | | | really want to understand it, to experience it in its fullest |
| exists in and of its own right. Everything is the result of | | | | extent, we have to choose to step into it. However, |
| some cause and effect. If fact, in Buddhism, each and | | | | when we do this, we do of course have to take the |
| every moment has this in its very nature. Even WE | | | | experience exactly as it is. When we walk up the |
| are the result of dependent arising, each and every | | | | steep hill, it makes no sense to shout at the hill and say |
| moment of our lives. There is no single thing called 'me', | | | | 'you are too steep for me, you are making me tired' |
| just a set of interdependent events, actions and | | | | The hill will not change. When our boots get wet from |
| thoughts that create the perception of this thing called | | | | the wet grass, we cannot actually do anything about |
| 'Andy Spragg'. I could spin off into a reverie about | | | | this if we wish to cross the field. We simply have to |
| Karma at this point, but I'll try to resist the urge and | | | | accept it. After all, if the hill wasn't steep or the grass |
| stick to the point. | | | | wasn't quite so lush and wet, the landscape would not |
| I realised that studying this landscape in front of me | | | | be the same from that distant view. We must accept |
| was a little like studying a person. Just as complex, just | | | | it as it is and simply view it and experience it. |
| as intangible. | | | | Also, and most importantly, if we choose not to enter |
| A single droplet of rain falls from the sky. Who can | | | | in, to see things from our distant, limited viewpoint, we |
| predict which way it will go? It may land on hard | | | | may well miss the greatest beauty. There is a gorge in |
| ground, flow into other flows of water and together | | | | Crete called the Sumaria Gorge. |
| form a stream, a river and cut down into the | | | | From the top of the gorge is a beautiful view. But the |
| landscape in a very obvious but slow manner. The | | | | real gem of this gorge can only be seen when you |
| droplet may land on soil or a plant. Becoming absorbed | | | | step down into it. When you 'connect' with the |
| as the plant sends its roots down. The plant itself, | | | | landscape. In order to do this, you have to put your |
| becoming part of this rich landscape. The roots subtly | | | | boots on and trek along a 9 mile, dusty, rocky path. |
| changing the soil below. Lichen may be nourished by | | | | Crete is a hot place so this is no easy task. The truly |
| the water and change the colour of the stone it is | | | | spectacular part of the walk is almost at the end. Here |
| growing on. An animal may drink from a pond that the | | | | the gorge narrows to just a couple of metres wide |
| droplet has landed in. Who knows the way that animal | | | | and the river squeezes through this narrow place. The |
| may contribute to that landscape. | | | | sheer height of the cliffs and the dramatic nature |
| I started to see all these things within the landscape | | | | takes your breath away (if you've got any left after |
| and the view before me was suddenly more complex | | | | the hike!) But, if you hadn't connected with the |
| and beautiful. But also fragile. I suddenly felt the very | | | | landscape and entered in, taking everything as it is, you |
| nature of change in this landscape at a very deep | | | | would never see this stunning scene and truly |
| level. It was at this point, while studying this gorgeous | | | | appreciate the beauty of Sumaria Gorge. You would |
| vista in front of me that I started to think about people | | | | miss the real beauty. |
| and the similarities with these thoughts. | | | | I believe that connecting with people is a little like this. |
| When a person stands before me, I perceive what I | | | | We must be prepared to connect. But in order to do |
| believe is their character from what is displayed by | | | | this we have to take them exactly as they are. There |
| their appearance and by the limited set of actions that I | | | | will be hills to climb and hot, dusty pathways. But we |
| have witnessed since I have known them. Just like | | | | must just notice them, see them, every aspect of their |
| with the landscape, I am mislead by my perceptions. I | | | | character. This way, we find their most beautiful |
| don't see the equivalent of the drop of water. | | | | aspects and we will be surprised and delighted by the |
| The Buddha gave us this view of our minds, our | | | | rich connection we then have with them. |
| thoughts, and how they build our character. | | | | There is no need to understand how each individual |
| The thought manifests as the word;the word | | | | raindrop has shaped the landscape. We simply open all |
| manifests as the deed;the deed develops into habit;and | | | | our senses and connect. Step in. |
| habit hardens into character. | | | | These days there seems to be so much analysis |
| So watch the thought and its ways with care;and let it | | | | done on people. We are categorised and analysed. |
| spring out of love born out of concern for all beings. | | | | There are so many therapists out there figuring out |
| As a Buddhist I believe that my body (yes, body!) and | | | | why we are the way we are. Why do we need to |
| my mind at this point in time is literally the composition | | | | know this to connect with each other? I don't believe |
| of all my previous thoughts and actions. There are | | | | we do for a minute. There is nothing to fear with |
| clearly external influences that happen and the Buddha | | | | connecting with people. We should celebrate our |
| describes how these influences affect us too. But here | | | | complexity and our individual nature. |
| the message is clear. Each single thought we have | | | | Simply connect. There is nothing else to be done. |
| goes in to our makeup. | | | | |