Glasgow Zen GroupThe Great Ocean is a frequent metaphor in Buddhism for the inter-connectedness of all being. The whole ocean effects each part. Each part effects the whole. Each part effects each part. If anywhere changes, everywhere changes. Nonetheless, the wave fully lives his own life.
Until the moment of our death, we are sustained by all things. The medicine for suffering is not enlightenment, but gratitude.
The Net of Indra is one of the most beautiful images in Buddhism. We are asked to imagine existence as an infinity of infinitely faceted jewels, in infinite space, each reflecting everything.
We can speculate that the image could be derived from looking up at the star filled sky, endless and infinite.
Of course, we now know that some of these stars are no longer there. We are just seeing their light. From the perspective of the star’s ego, it no longer exists. From the perspective of the universe, it does.
The teaching is like this.
Life–and death–is like this.