During our practice we often refer to “all sentient beings” but as humans we don’t really have the ability to grasp the magnitude of what that means. He said that we really only have the capacity to truly think about those closest to us, and for the most part that amounts to no more than 20-30 people. It’s not a problem, it’s simply a fact of life, we just can’t hold more than that in our hearts. Even as Karmapa, he said that often times he can only really think of 20-30 people, it takes time, practice and awareness for more. How powerful to hear that a being such as he understand the limitations of the human condition. How deeply he looks into things, understanding that which we take for granted. What is a human being? Does an elephant or insect think that they too are human beings? We all live, laugh, cry and suffer, made ever more poignant and real from our personal vantage point at the center of our own universe.
But we can work with this, we can learn to have even more compassion for all beings. We can start very simply, since every one of our 20-30 has 20-30 of their own, and certainly those people can be brought into our hearts as well. That can be further expanded again, bringing in more, and more, and more, starting to include not only just humans but all living creatures. Our universe beings to envelop all, expanding further outwards, our capacity for love and compassion radiating out in all ten directions. The person, the insect and the elephant can be the center of our universe too. All sentient beings deserve and need our help. Through expanding our own personal universe, starting with just our little view, can eventually have a huge impact. All we need is 20-30 people to begin.
