Seeing How Others Act

It is said that we can improve our own conduct by observing what others do. There is no one better than other people for teaching us to know ourselves. Knowing our own true nature is difficult. By making the conduct of others a mirror in which we can deeply examine ourselves, we can then become aware of what we really are.
Human beings are quick to notice the faults of others. This is because we all have similar natures, and when this dawns on us, our interactions with others change.
Take the example of our having a different opinion from someone else. In such a situation, instead of hastily deciding that the other person is wrong, we should take a moment to mentally step back and thus gain the chance to ask ourselves why the other person thinks that way. Then, without one-sidedly criticizing that person, from the humble feeling of wanting to learn we can give some attention to the other person’s opinion.
Through such instances of learning from one another, even though we may still have differences, we can realize that each of us has a rare and irreplaceable nature. Then, through repeated experiences of learning from one another, we become able to recognize the Truth that lies beneath the surface of things?of the great Life-force that causes all beings to live.

Learning with a Mind Clear of Selfishness

Shakyamuni was enlightened to the fact that “because we are human beings, we must spend our whole lives learning.” The priest Shinran called himself a bald fool not because he thought that being a fool was good thing, but because, as the result of his ignorance, he could never stop learning. He taught that buddhshood can only be attained through the constant practice of seeking the Way.
There is an old proverb that goes, “One should not put fresh water in a cup that still has old water in it. The old water must be tossed out so that the cup must be empty.” This saying aptly expresses the importance of learning from one another with a mind clear of selfishness. When our minds are clear that way, free of delusions, we can truly learn.
Learning from each other has its own special characteristics, setting it apart from book learning. Learning from one another influences us directly because the nature of the humanity that all of us share is transmitted to us through the interaction of our personalities.
In the words of the poet Kenji Miyazawa, “Seeking the Way is itself the Way.” This means that the practice of learning from every type of karmic connection is the bodhisattva-way, seeking the true way for human life. Inscribing that thought on our minds, let us cheerfully continue to grow spiritually this year also, neither rushing nor slowing down in our efforts.