by Christine M
Recently a long-time centre volunteer told me that she was concerned about being unkind. She’d been invited out that evening by a friend but had realised she simply couldn’t do it. She was feeling uncomfortable about letting her friend down.
Yet, this person routinely goes to the aid of others, helping when they are in need. If you mention a problem, she comes up with a positive Dharma solution and she also offers to help you put that solution into action. She patiently helps at the Tibetan Buddhist Society in different ways and has done so for a long time. Is she an unkind person? Definitely not.
I’ve helped at the Tibetan Buddhist Society for a long time myself on and off in various ways. Many years ago, for a brief period (which now seems like a flash in a one-minute life) I sometimes helped Venerable Geshe Thubten Loden with certain tasks, like typing letters and such. That might be called ‘volunteering’, but it wasn’t work; it was extraordinarily good fortune, an incalculable and indescribable blessing. Geshe-la used to continuously encourage us volunteers to “support each other, help each other, no competition, look after one another.”
Delighting the Buddhas
I have found over the years that no matter what you give at the Centre, whether you assist a holy teacher or clean a blocked drain, if you do it with the best of intentions, with patience and openness, there is a blessing and afterwards a brief interlude of being more spiritually aware. Ordinarily we may struggle to connect with holy beings because our minds are self-centred, but when we help with an open heart, that focus shifts slightly, allowing a brief connection, and the Buddhas are delighted.
When we do help, we nearly always experience challenges. We can be faced with what looks like a Herculean task; it can be physically demanding (hot and sweaty work, or cold and wet, or dirty, or all of those); or the available tools are inadequate or unfindable; or the requested help just seems very odd — why are we doing this, who came up with this idea? It can also be challenging sharing a job with someone who wants to do it differently — why can’t they see that my way is best and my knowledge is best?!
However, if we can release our pride and allow others some space, it can be liberating; a brief respite from our continuous self-cherishing. Years ago, when we got a bit single-minded Geshe-la would say, “It’s just your opinion.”
Encountering the kindness and thoughtfulness of others
One of the lovely things you find when helping, wherever you help, whomever you help, is that you encounter kindness and thoughtfulness in others. It just manifests. No matter where you are, people are inspired when they see someone working and helping positively in some way. It’s infectious— imagine if it became a pandemic.
When we witness others’ good qualities in action— their patience, their ethics, their positive energy, and wisdom, whether it’s directed at us or someone else— there’s always a valuable teaching to take home. It’s the buried treasure we unearth when we just get out and help.
Practicing the four generosities
The thoughtful volunteer I began with is one of so many good people I’ve met at the Centre over the years. I’m extremely grateful for the kindness, patience and good advice they’ve all granted me, but I know, as I’ve witnessed, they treat others just the same.
They’ve provided generous donations of food and other things so that others could experience enjoyment and happiness, which in Dharma-speak is the generosity of generosity (or material necessities). The kind help they’ve rendered to others equally is the Dharma of giving protection. Their patient, understanding ear and wise advice is the generosity of giving Dharma. And their simple wish for everyone else’s happiness and enjoyment is the generosity of love. As Dharma students and volunteers, we can practice these four generosities every day in various ways. And rejoicing in our efforts will help us maintain our enthusiasm to continue.
So, any time you’d like to work on your generosity, challenge your pride, develop your patience and perseverance, or simply get some good healthy exercise, we have acres of opportunites at the Peaceful Land of Joy.
Although it took them a long time and much effort to reach enlightenment, the Buddhas are still volunteering.
Editor’s note: If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering at TBS please see the Volunteer hub.