Farmers clearing a field for cultivation ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro


Farmers clearing a field for cultivation for the first time meet many obstacles. They may have to dig out roots that reach down much deeper than they thought. Often there are rocks concealed beneath the surface, some quite small but others big boulders. Farmers persevere because they know that if they want to cultivate that land and grow delicious and nutritious food, they have no choice.

Be patient in the cultivation of your mind-field. Do not allow yourself to get angry with your tree roots and hidden rocks. Nobody who has ever completed this work has regretted the time and effort it took to do so. On the contrary, when looking back at their efforts and the fruits of it, the great masters say that if they had endured a struggle a hundred times as hard, or a thousand times, it would still have been worthwhile.

Farmers clearing a field for cultivation

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