Mirror of Zen Blog

Bows of Respect

Two retreatants asked if they could give a respectful three bows to the nuns. A. and J., two young German men, are both deeply serious practitioners of meditation filled with profound faith and gratitude for the teachings. They wished to express that gratitude to the nuns before leaving the temple for their homes. While such an expression of gratitude and respect is extremely common among Buddhists in Asia, it is something not often seen among western Buddhists. It was beautiful to see these two young men pouring out their hearts in gratitude, despite the fact that the nuns had not “directly“ taught the men at all, or even been able to participate in the retreat. It is merely a full mind/body expression of gratitude for the Three Jewels – – Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. True practitioners, such minds.

Respect (and gratitude!) for their approach to the Way.

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