Stepping Stones. . .
In our journey through life—and on the path of practice—it is tempting to believe that mistakes are failures, detours, or stains on an otherwise perfect record of progress. But the truth, as the Buddha gently reminded us, is far more compassionate and forgiving: mistakes are not interruptions on the path; they are the path.
No one awakens without stumbling. No one gains understanding without misunderstanding first. Each mistake is a teacher dressed in disguise—a hard lesson wrapped in discomfort, inviting us to grow, to reflect, to become wiser and more aware.
In Buddhism, we do not fear mistakes, nor do we run from them. We bow to them. We learn. We see that each error reveals something: our impatience, our assumptions, our attachments. And in seeing clearly, we are given the rare gift of insight—the chance to choose differently, to walk more mindfully, to live more wisely.
To reject mistakes is to reject the very process of becoming. To deny them is to deny the cracks where the light enters. Perfection is not our goal; presence is. Learning is. Compassion—for ourselves and others—is.
Think of the great teachers, the wise monks, the peaceful elders. None arrived at their calm clarity without having wandered, doubted, and faltered. Their peace was earned not by avoiding mistakes, but by embracing them as stepping stones that built their understanding.
So when you stumble, when you fall short, do not despair. Smile gently. Stand up. Reflect. Try again. This is not failure—it is living. It is practice. It is growth.
Mistakes are not the enemy of enlightenment; they are its quiet servants. They shape us, soften us, humble us. And in doing so, they guide us closer to truth.
Be kind to your mistakes. Welcome them as old friends. For they, too, walk the Way.
Peace and Love, Jim
#steppingstones #thedailybuddha #tdb
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