Geshe Sopa
Cleaning just for the pleasure of having a clean home is a purely worldly activity; it could even be nonvirtuous. But by thinking about it in a certain way you can transform cleaning into virtuous activity. Your mind should be directed toward a religious goal during the whole activity of cleaning. For example, you can mentally invite all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to the place you are cleaning…
In the sutras there is a long story about how cleaning can be a virtuous activity when done in this way. The story begins with a couple who did not have any sons. Every time a son was born to them he died. Finally, an old woman suggested, “The next time you have a son, let me tell you what to do.” So after the birth of their next son this old woman told the couple, “Wrap the baby in a clean white cloth and fill his mouth with butter. Then take him out to a very busy crossroads where people are coming and going from all four directions. Whenever a brahmin, a monk, a nun, or any kind of religious person comes along, make the following request, ‘Please say a prayer for the long life of this child.’”
Just as they were advised, the couple sent their daughter with the baby to the crossroads. She stayed there and followed the old woman’s instructions. Each holy person who passed by prayed, “May he have long life; may his parents’ wishes be fulfilled.” Then, as it happened, the Buddha came walking by. The Buddha and his followers also said some prayers for the child. Because of these prayers, the boy survived. He was called Lamchenpa, meaning “He of the great road”. When he grew up, he embarked on the spiritual path, became a Buddhist monk, and eventually attained Arhatship.
Later on, another son was born to this couple. They tried the same method again to ensure his survival. But this time the girl who took the baby to the crossroads was a little bit lazy. She didn’t go all the way to the big crossroad; she just went to a small village road nearby. Nobody came past. So he was named Lamchungpa, “He of the small road”. Fortunately his older brother, Lamchenpa, intervened and managed to save the little boy’s life.
When the boy grew older, Lamchenpa tried to teach Lamchungpa a simple two-syllable mantra. But the boy was so stupid he could not memorize even those two syllables. He could memorize the first syllable, but when he tried to memorize the second, he forgot the first; and when he learned the second and tried to remember the first again, he forgot the second.
Finally, Lamchenpa asked the Buddha to give his little brother some instruction. The Buddha put Lamchungpa to work in the monastery cleaning the shoes of the other Sangha members when they entered the temple.
When monks or nuns clean they often recite a little mantra-like phrase, dulpang drimapang. The entire phrase means “Cast away dust; cast away stains.” Every time the monks or nuns handed Lamchungpa their shoes they would recite this phrase and praise him for cleaning their footwear.
Now, Lamchungpa’s mind was obscured by very thick mental obstacles. But because of the merit he acquired by physically serving the Sangha, his heavy karma became a little lighter. Eventually he learned those few words, “Cast away dust; cast away stains,” and he would recite them all day long while he cleaned and dusted.
After a while the Buddha said, “Now you don’t need to clean shoes anymore. You can clean the temple and the rooms of the Sangha members. And while you are cleaning, keep saying those words.”
One day as he was cleaning and reciting “Cast away dust; cast away stains” as usual, he had a sudden realization. He understood the deep meaning of the words he had been reciting over and over again and spontaneously composed a set of verses revealing what he had realized:
These verses expressed his newfound insight into the three poisons: the mental afflictions of desire, hatred, and ignorance. If you clean out the inner dust of desire, hatred, and ignorance, then you will obtain freedom and a happy life. In that very life Lamchungpa attained the ārya stage and eventually became an arhat.
This story illustrates that just physically cleaning things has its advantages. Therefore in the morning, when you are sitting in your messy house but are tired and don’t want to clean up, just go get a broom anyway and start cleaning while keeping these thoughts in mind…
The point of this part of the first preparation is that you need to keep the place where you practice clean and pure. You should enjoy doing this. With a happy, religious attitude, remember that you are not just cleaning up your meditation place for your own pleasure or enjoyment. You should think, “It is for the honor of inviting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that I am cleaning. By clearing away the physical dust, may my inner dirt and stains also be cleansed.” With prayers such as this the whole endeavor becomes virtuous activity and you gain merit.
