Seed of virtue is the third of the five strengths that make up the condensed heart instructions of lojong slogan seventeen. (You can read about the first two, determination and familiarization in my previous posts.)
Norman Fischer writes, “Seed of virtue is the recognition of our noble heritage as human beings.” We practice believing- and not just believing, but really knowing, in a way that empowers our living– that within each of us lies a seed of virtue. Nobody is born without this seed. We have everything we need to cultivate it and help it grow. It belongs to us, and it is our gift to others also.
The wisdom behind this heart strength is that when we know that, we don’t give up. A lot of the readings I did this week on seed of virtue emphasize how we keep at it best when we know and trust that it will create something beautiful.
At its heart, this is about trusting the process. The ancient Buddhist teacher Milarepa said,
When you forsake the ‘big’ estate
And till your own small land (of self),
You must obey the rules of farming.
Should you expect big harvests quickly,
You will fall into the world once more.
-Milarepa
These seeds may look small, but over time, what an abundance they can bring! So we practice having the heart strength to be patient and trust the process.
Fischer says, “To practice seed of virtue is to remind ourselves every day who we really are.”
This week, can you trust, remember, and remind yourself of your basic human goodness? Can you trust the planting you’ve already done?
