Bear in mind and heart that you are here to bring joy, peace and happiness to people in their hearts.
Sister Sumitra got to the heart of the matter of service in this profound sentence when she guided the Aloka Foundation Project Team leaders and members in a One Heart, One Mind Dhamma-in-Service Workshop in Alokarama in December.
Sister Sumitra got to the heart of the matter of service in this profound sentence when she guided the Aloka Foundation Project Team leaders and members in a One Heart, One Mind Dhamma-in-Service Workshop in Alokarama in December.
She underlined the need to reach into the hearts -- that of those whom we serve as well as our very own.
"Practise to open your hearts so that those you serve can feel the love that you have. When they feel this, they will want to come to the Dhamma. They will want to find out why you are full of energy to give them love and to serve them. That is how you impart the truth to them," she added.
Thus serving with love is essentially one's practice and training. Sister Sumitra advised that one should not "make personal" this service by holding the view that one is serving Bhante Mahinda or Aloka Foundation.
"You're serving Buddha-Dhamma. You are serving all sentient beings," she said, adding that in this reflection, service does not become personal and constricted.
"You're serving Buddha-Dhamma. You are serving all sentient beings," she said, adding that in this reflection, service does not become personal and constricted.
"It's deep in your heart that you have chosen to walk the path of practising the Dhamma and realising the truth. Giving a helping hand to others in the process becomes very much part and parcel of this."
However, she cautioned that this path of service is not easy. It's fraught with difficulties. Apparent will be praise and blame, two of the eight worldly conditions that the Buddha has reminded us of.
In such situations, focus our minds and have the right understanding to make things work better.
But of primary importance is that while serving, we need to find time for ourselves and our practice. Sister Sumitra said only through practice, will we realise the Dhamma. It will gives us a better understanding and appreciation of the sublime qualities of the Buddha and the myriad difficulties that the Buddha went through from life to life.
This, essentially, will give us the confidence and inspiration to practice and serve.
In such situations, focus our minds and have the right understanding to make things work better.
But of primary importance is that while serving, we need to find time for ourselves and our practice. Sister Sumitra said only through practice, will we realise the Dhamma. It will gives us a better understanding and appreciation of the sublime qualities of the Buddha and the myriad difficulties that the Buddha went through from life to life.
This, essentially, will give us the confidence and inspiration to practice and serve.
