to bow or not to bow

Thây has often said to his students, “To bow or not to bow is not the question. The important thing is to be mindful.” When we greet someone with a bow, we have the chance to be present with that person and with the nature of awake-ness, of Buddhahood, within us and within the other person. We do not bow just to be polite or diplomatic, but to recognize the miracle of being alive. When we see a person joins his or her palms to bow to us, we can do the same. Breathing in, we silently say, “A lotus for you.” Bowing our head down and breathing out, we say, “A Buddha to be.” We do this in mindfulness, truly aware that the person is there in front of us. We bow with all the sincerety of our heart. Sometimes, when we feel a deep connection to what is there in front of us- a sense of awe at the wonders of life, whether that be a flower, a sunset, a tree, or the cool drops of rain, whatever it may be- we might like to bow in this way as well, to offer our presence and gratitude.



text taken from the booklet How to enjoy your stay in Plum Village

Because often I miss Plum Village so much...

If you would like to know more about Plum Village Practice Center, please refer to:
http://www.plumvillage.org/

Photo: monk and nun in Plum Village, The Breath of the Buddha retreat, June 2006 ©Richard&Joanne Friday