Ajahn Sumedho (amaravati.org); edited by Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly
Famous Jewish convert to Christianity washing Peter's feet (Ford Madox Brown, Tate Gallery)* |
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Clean the mind/heart then it will see clearly. |
After they walked barefoot through the villages and rice paddies, their feet would be muddy. There were foot baths outside the dining hall.
Monk Robert Karr Jackman, aka Ven. Sumedho |
When I first saw this I thought, "I'm not going to do that, not me!" Then the next day, 30 monks rushed out as soon as Ajahn Chah appeared and washed his feet. I thought, 'What a stupid thing to be doing, 30 monks washing one man's feet. I'm not going to do that.'
The day after that, the reaction became even more violent... 30 monks rushed out and washed Ajahn Chah's feet and... "That really angers me. I'm fed up with it! I just feel that is the most stupid thing I've ever seen, 30 men going out to wash one man's feet! He probably thinks he deserves it, you know, really building up his ego. He's probably got an enormous ego, having so many people wash his feet every day. I'll never do that!"
Ajahn Sumedho with his teacher Ajahn Chah |
But then I started listening, and I thought, "This is really an unpleasant frame of mind to be in. Is it anything to get upset about? They haven't made me do it. It's all right; there's nothing wrong with 30 men washing one man's feet. It's not immoral or bad behavior, and maybe they enjoy it. Maybe they want to do it, maybe it's all right to do that... Maybe I should do it!'
So the next morning, 31 monks ran out and washed Ajahn Chah's feet. There was no problem after that. It felt really good: That nasty thing in me had stopped."
*Jesus washed his disciples' feet?
Did Jesus/Issa meditate? |
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