Mother, Mama, Mom and Mummy are some of the precious words that we use to call our beloved mother. What we all know is that however disrespectful and bad we behave towards our mother, or however wrong the decisions are that we make in our life, she will still love us unconditionally just the way she always does. She is the one who is, and will always be, there to comfort us when everything turns bad; we can always count on her. She is the one who thinks of feeding us before extinguishing the flame of her own hunger. She is the one who dresses us with the most beautiful, good quality clothes but doesn’t even buy anything new for herself. Her love never fades away and her heart is as bright as a shining diamond, as deep as an ocean and as vast as the sky. There is nothing like a mother’s love for her child in this world. It knows neither low, nor high and is spread evenly to all her children. Therefore, a mother is considered to be the kindest person on earth.
In my opinion, I don’t think a mother’s kindness can ever be fully repaid. Perhaps that is all the more reason to adopt the practice of reciprocated kindness. I would say not to feel obligated to spend a lot of money to impress your mother. Instead, spend time with her and by showing your energy make her feel that you love and care about your mother a lot.
In dharma texts, there are references of sentient beings having been our mothers. It is referred to solely in order to cultivate bodhichitta, which we should contemplate in this pattern: Whether they are hell beings or hungry ghosts, humans or animals, demi-gods or gods, at least once all beings have given birth to us, and when they gave birth to us they raised us with the utmost care, just like our present mother does. Therefore, we should feel their kindness and, seeing that they now suffer in the different lower realms, an unbearable sense of compassion should be aroused within us. Subsequently, we should develop the altruistic intention of ‘making them free from the ocean of suffering’. Then there comes the question: “How?” Being trapped oneself in the net of samsara, we lack the ability to free even ourselves from its unbearable suffering, let alone other beings. In order to gain that ability, we first need to get ourselves free from samsara and attain Enlightenment. Keeping this in mind, think about the consequences of your own virtuous deeds you have done in the past to get this most rare opportunity to meet the Buddhadharma and the leisure to practice it. Thinking thus, make the commitment from now onwards, “I am dedicating my entire life to the attainment of Enlightenment for the sake of all the motherly sentient beings.” Thus, one will generate bodhichitta in oneself.
I dedicate all the merit to my motherly sentient beings of the six realms.
By Loponma Kunzang Paldron
NNNI
