On the second day of Going Inward we looked at gratitude
After meditating on body and breath, Munisha talked about gratitude to the traditional three sets of people:
- Our parents — who, if nothing else, gave us this life in which we are following the spiritual path
- Our teachers — anyone who has influenced us and helped change our lives
- Spiritual friends — our peers and those more experienced than we are, anyone, Buddhist or not, who has been an inspiring pointer towards a richer, better life
In What is the Sangha? Sangharakshita writes:
If we don’t feel that something or someone has actually benefited us, we won’t feel grateful to them or to it. This suggests that we have to understand what is truly beneficial, what has really helped us to develop and grow as human beings.
We also have to know who or what has benefited us, and remember that they have done so — otherwise no feeling of gratitude is possible.
He also states that:
the newly Enlightened Buddha was a grateful Buddha
- who spent some time staring at the Bodhi Tree in sheer gratitude for its shelter during the period of his great realisation.
It’s interesting that his next impulse was to express his gratitude in generosity — finding his five old friends to share with them what he had learned.
- Tomorrow’s session starts at 10.30 am
— all sangha members welcome
New to Buddhism and meditation?
Tools for living your life runs every day through to new year, alongside but separate from Going Inward, and starting at 11 am — everyone welcome!
