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Good morning dear Dharma family, Before sunrise I went to an historical site; it was my first trip to India. The sun was gently releasing its soft colors above the horizon. A thin ribbon of haze floated just above the earth, ravens dancing in the clear sky, while a pair of peacocks in the distance were calling in the start of a new day. The stillness of the morning, the rosy light all around, was pure delight. Breathing in the beauty, I sat silently, near a small, humble stone building waiting for the caretaker of the large site ahead to open its doors. I went into meditation and lost track of time- everything dissolved. When I came back, a guard was standing there, bowing deeply. He gestured for me to follow him around the corner. Soon I stood before the entrance, protected by an intricate wrought-iron door, which he opened with the greatest care and reverence. With a kind smile, he motioned to step inside. And this is what I saw: a magnificent room of large stone blocks, a few steps descending into the chamber, where a large gilded statue of Buddha rested in silence. I was suddenly engulfed in pure joy, and tears came without a warning, moved by such a splendor. Tears when touched by beauty and love, need no words. They are among our most precious treasures, an expression of deep joy, rising from our innermost being. The same is true when we are carried by a genuine laughter, when tears are released through immense joy. And yet, with time tears have come to be seen only as mirrors of only pain, sorrow and loss. Women shed their tears, the songs of their hearts, while many men have have been lead to forget their treasures, slowly conditioned to become robots and robots don’t feel; they are not touched by love, taught to suppress, conquer, destroy, and years of conditioning passed through generations. But tears are the silent language of the heart, they are the pearls to your humanity- our liveliness, our joy, our inner beauty. Never feel that you must hide your tears. Rejoice in them. With unconditional love, ~ Ven. Bao Co
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