Ven. Roger used to organize trips for old people when he worked in Sydney. He would hire a bus and then drive them out into the countryside for an outing, to get them out of the house, so they could have a good time. Old people spend so much time sitting within four walls, and might not have so much to think about, to rejoice over. Maybe the things that they rejoice about are the things they used to do in the past—their family and all the pleasures they used to have, that they don’t have any more. They are not able to think over all the virtuous actions that they have created in their life and rejoice in those, so life for them can be quite sad.
One day he organized a trip and I went along. There was a house by the sea and one of the monks dressed up as a clown, but I don’t think it was so suitable for the old people. That’s more for children. I put some thangkas on the wall to help put imprints in the people’s minds. Some of the people didn’t really notice, but others were very happy to look at the thangkas. You could see that there was a connection.
That’s how it is in giving teachings as well. When you are teaching people, some have very strong imprints from the past that are ripening, and they can understand what’s being said and get very involved quickly. For others, it takes a long time. You just have to try to plant a seed now and plant a seed later, year after year, even life after life, that can ripen in the future, so that gradually they get closer and closer to Buddha. Gradually, there are more and more imprints. For some people, from life to life, you just give a little imprint, and the quality of mind gradually gets better and better. It’s like when there are many different kinds of container, some big, some small, some medium: You can only pour into the container according to its capacity. That’s how it is with teaching as well, with guiding students. You can only give according to their capacity to receive. You can’t reveal all the teachings at once. It is a gradual thing. Even Buddha had to wait to show the entire path to sentient beings. It takes time. Gradually, they are able to receive more and more. You can’t reveal the complete path all at once.
That’s why some people may have a connection with you, but are not necessarily able to make a connection with your teachers or the high lamas and geshes or other teachers. So you have to keep guiding them. Whenever you are in the area, arrange a talk for them, to keep Buddhism alive for them. Also, give them meditations to do and Dharma books to study in the meantime, while you are away. Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand is a very good book for them to study. Or they can meet together in town as a group to go through teachings and discuss things. Sometimes it’s difficult to do things alone, but if people meet in a group that helps to get things done. Then they can transcribe teachings and make a book, and they can go to talks by other Western sangha.
