As you follow the Path of Bodhicitta road all the way to the plaza outside the Buddha Hall, several impressively tall Great White Pines stand erect, quietly welcoming your arrival.

The Master holds a deep affection for the White Pines, describing them as embodying the very qualities of a spiritual practitioner: the outer needles are incredibly soft and harmless, while the trunks stand straight and firm.

 

Practitioners are just the same: outwardly, they manifest compassion and harmlessness towards all beings; inwardly, they possess unyielding resilience and integrity.

 

We pray that both the White Pines and the practitioners of the monastery will flourish alongside this current Dharma teaching, growing into towering trees that provide shade and protection for all sentient beings.