Gratitude is the focus of this final week's practice. One question people sometimes raise is "Gratitude to whom?" And they look for a criteria that will help them differentiate those worthy of gratitude from those who are not. And of course, our culture is filled with those who routinely ask or demand gratitude, usually for themselves.

Rather than bogging down in endless discussion about those unimportant issues, just be grateful, taking time each day this next week (at least 2 to 3 minutes) to be grateful FOR something, whether it is another being, a circumstance, a teaching, etc. The idea of this practice is to deliberately step away from the deeply held belief that you are self subsistent rather than a set of conditions, a particular sequence of formations that has arisen and will pass away. The intent is to see clearly by means of gratitude that "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self" to use the Buddha's words. Gratitude is an extension of the mind to recognize all the circumstances, beings, and material form that make up our life, sustain it, and sometimes make it pleasurable in contrast to the most demonstrably false assumption that I am in control, that I have created this, that I can exist independent of this. It is that set of assumptions and arrogance you are challenging with gratitude which has the wholesome element of helping us seeing our dependence and transience.

This particular author paused on the US Memorial Day in gratitude for all those who had the courage to sacrifice their lives and well being in an attempt to secure happiness for others. However one might wish to judge the motivations of those who fought, the justness of the efforts they participated in,  their character, or the success of their effort, there is a solemn respect for them as human beings, caught in the confusion samsara, who nevertheless transcended their selfish fear of death in an unselfish endeavor. My conditions of life today, my existence in its form and place, the ability to hear the Truth of Dharma, and to follow a path to Nirvana are not due to my efforts at birth, but to many of these who preceded me to set in motion the chain of events that have given me this opportunity. It is not difficult to be grateful to those who struggled to death on both sides of the question.