I have finally picked a winner for the 2023 Lucas T. Ahn Scholarship. Congratulations, Nadia Wallace at the University of Tennessee! Luki May never attend university but that doesn’t mean his life didn’t help others achieve their dreams!
Friday, September 15, 2023
"Before Enlightenment: Chop Wood, Fetch Water. After Enlightenment: Chop Wood, Fetch Water."
In Korea as well as in other countries with a large Buddhist following such as Thailand and Japan, there is a tradition among Buddhist monks who take a vow of poverty and abstaining from all worldly possessions, walk among the people asking for alms; mainly, for a few coins or a bowl of rice with vegetables without animal proteins as they are vegetarian in observance of the sanctity of all sentient beings. The monks would trek down from their temples located high up in the mountains to the cities where lay people live wrestling with various forms of suffering in their lives. As a child, I remember hearing the sound of their wooden Mok Ttak - a handheld prayer drum carved out of apricot wood which makes a crisp, hollow sound and also hearing chants of Buddhist scriptures before seeing them in their unique gray garb, barefoot and with their faces hidden under big straw hats. They had a small bowl for a scoop of rice and some vegetables and nothing more. After receiving their offering, they would bow deeply, offer a prayer of blessing to the giver and gratitude for the offering and be off hitting their mok-ttaks and reciting their chants to the next house. As a child, I found their presence to be mysterious and otherworldly and didn't quite understand the motivation behind their practice.
As I interpret it now, the monks were surviving off the grace and compassion of people. They were offering people an opportunity to practice the virtues of compassion and generosity for another being who has taken a vow to disengage in worldly pursuits and devote their lives to the practice of elevating the consciousness of humanity. Begging for food is a humbling experience and one which requires pride and ego to be set aside which is one of Buddhism's very important tenets. This motivation isn't so obvious to people of lesser spiritual growth who could not recognize an advanced and enlightened soul but has judged them just as a beggar and a nuisance to be shoo'ed away. And, I have witnessed some being badly treated by shopkeepers and laypeople who are resentful that while they work hard at earning a living, the monks are just freeloading off their diligence and effort and often heard groans of, "here he is again today....".
What is the soul contract the monk has made with God to endure the hardships of this life?
It goes to show that just because you become enlightened doesn't necessarily mean your life is made easier as stated in the Buddhist phrase, "Before enlightenment, chop wood, fetch water. After enlightenment, chop wood, fetch water". Like the profound ironies so beautifully written in the Dao, nothing is really different and yet everything has changed and the enlightened soul must still carry their cross even after exclaiming, "Eureka, I've got it!".
Today, as a mother of a child with Dup15q Syndrome, a condition which makes his independence impossible and without a clear and obvious role of his contribution to society, I ponder on the monks' practice and find a similarity to people like my son. My son can be seen by some as a burden on society, too. His survival and quality of life is solely dependent on the love and compassion of those around him. He requires great medical attention and 24 hour care, perhaps for the rest of his life. Even just going to the dentist to fill a cavity is a major ordeal as he needs to be under general anesthesia. The first dentist we consulted told us there is a 2 year wait period because my son's cavity is not deemed severe enough and the dentist has cases of kids with abscesses in their mouths with much worse conditions who get priority treatment. In the meantime, I worry and fret about possibly needing a root canal if the cavity does not get filled soon. Luckily, after calling many dentists, we found one willing to fill his cavity within 1 month at an outpatient surgery center accompanied by nurses and an anesthesiologist. He needs the aid of government agencies like Social Security and the Regional Center, health insurance for the provision of equipment/devices that help him function in society as well as individualized educational accommodations but most of all, he needs the love and acceptance from his school, church, family and the community.
What is the soul contract my son has made with God to endure the sufferings of this life?
The monk. My Child. The rejection. The love and respect. An opportunity to practice compassion. The realization of our higher spiritual consciousness. Being able to see the bigger picture of life. The realization of our higher purpose on Earth. Witnessing the divine (and sometimes, not so divine) nature within people.... These are all beautiful things to witness, experience and from, grow.
This journey is no easy feat but what I focus on seems to grow bigger. My focus is growing sharper every day as I learn and grow from the daily encounters with my son and the people who are involved in my son's life. And, I aim my focus on things that are beautiful and uplifting.
Mantra of Light
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