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Non-Discriminative Wisdom
In the land of Italy, the olive tree grows only in clusters of three or four trees from a single root after enduring a harsh winter; these trees are only seven or eight years old but already bear witness to the lesson of the illusion of discrimination: though they appear to be many trees, in reality they share one trunk and one root. From this arises the wisdom of non-discrimination, called Nirvikalpa jñāna (nir means non, vikalpa means discrimination, jñāna means wisdom), which helps us see that all separation is but illusion, preventing jealousy and prejudice.
The human body, Lower Hamlet, or the Eastern Buddhist University are all likened to a Bodhisattva with many hands, each individual being a harmonious hand:
- the right and left hands do not judge each other even though their functions are different
- Lower Hamlet has a hundred hands: cooking, washing dishes, driving, sweeping… all are equally valuable
-
each professor and staff member at the institute is a hand of the Bodhisattva, offering wisdom and love
all are practicing the wisdom of non-discrimination, not distinguishing by race, religion, role, or age, so as to live in harmony and happiness.
