Deep Commentary

Living in a community, one who practices diligently always reaps good results. If surrounded by lazy and heedless people, the negative influence can be significant. To overcome this, one needs great patience and unwavering determination. Such a person lives with a noble ideal, practicing quietly and persistently. Naturally, they may face jealousy, envy, and even sabotage from the lazy ones. Yet, with an iron will, they hold their head high and press forward, ignoring praise or blame, because no one understands them better than they understand themselves. They are truly a beautiful flower among wild weeds. The Buddha praises such a person as "wide awake among the sleeping." If everyone in the world were asleep in delusion, what would become of it? Fortunately, there are still those who are awake, keeping humanity alive. In a spiritual community, if everyone is mindful and diligent, it brings immense harmony and joy, much like the Buddha's Sangha in ancient times. They achieved great peace and liberation through high meditative concentration. We must ask ourselves: do we want to be a swift, strong horse, or a weak, feeble one? If we choose to be weak, who knows how long we will suffer? As practitioners seeking liberation, we must strive to become the swift horse, leaving the feeble ones behind.