Today is an uposatha and one of the first things that I saw when I stepped out of my building and turned towards 1st Ave was one of these ubiquitous, double-decker tourist buses. Now, don’t ask me why but these buses have a bad reputation in the city and are often the object of scorn for those of us who live here. So, immediately upon seeing the bus I felt an initial wave of resentment wash over me but it was, thankfully, quickly supplanted by a thought of metta for everyone on the bus.
As I said, I cannot fathom why I was initially tempted to indulge in ill-will against a literal busload of people whose only crime was to be a visitor to a city they don’t live in for the greater part of the year. Yet, the fact remains that I have done so often in my past about this and a hundred other things that I shudder to think about the results of such kamma. What’s more, I was doing all of this while ostensibly treading the path blazed by the Blessed One and his Noble Disciples–how much worse off would I have been had I not met with the Dhamma?
So, on this uposatha day may my heart be filled with gratitude for all of those upasakas, upasikas, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis and all of the great saints and teachers who have taught the path to peace. May I ever practice with a mind imbued with goodwill, compassion, joy and peace until I make an end t
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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