Mataji and Goenkaji’s Fondness for Flowers and Plants
They were both very fond of gardening. Upon returning from the Hyderabad centre in 1976 and being impressed by the green foliage that they saw there, they decided to do the same at Igatpuri.
A variety of seeds of sturdy trees were planted and experts from the forest department were invited to give guidance how to best care for the growing trees and plants. Soon, this Centre which previously had little more than some old mango trees, had turned lush green with trees and flowering plants. Trees that grew throughout the year without much need of care or water were favoured. Of course, along with greening the centre, other construction work had continued unimpeded.
Whenever someone plucked a flower and brought it to Goenkaji, he would gently reprimand them by saying, “this flower looked beautiful in the garden; it would have lived for a few more days on the branch, whereas here it will die soon. It was wrong to have plucked it. Do not do this again.”
It was the practice of Goenkaji and Mataji to take a stroll in the gardens at Dhammagiri and inspect the plants to see how well they were doing. They would gaze at the flowers and plants outside their residence, and touch them giving metta. They would then walk and touch many trees giving metta to the seen and unseen beings.
Goenkaji would say that many beings live there, hence cutting or damaging trees is very unwholesome. He would permit a tree to be moved only if it was very necessary to do so. If it became imperative to cut a tree, he would go and stand before it giving it metta; he would humbly request the unseen beings living there to go elsewhere and reside. Only then would he permit the woodcutter’s axe to fall on the tree. Though these words were murmured softly by him, those standing behind could hear them. Countless devas, brahmas and other divine beings reside at and around the Dhamma hall and Pagoda; hence he would always encourage that a light be kept lit throughout the night on the Pagoda.
It is but appropriate here to mention Mataji’s special fascination for gardening and caring for plants. She would water the plants, and fill pots with soil and fertilizer at her Juhu bungalow in Mumbai. She would walk around with the gardener, working alongside, taking personal care, giving instructions; on the boundary wall she had placed large pots and containers filling them with foliage, creepers, and flowering plants which drew the neighbours’ attention seeing such pleasing greenery in the area. Subsequently, when the family shifted to the duplex flat on 13th-14th storey nearby, Mataji’s terrace turned lush green with different varieties of plants.
(Vipassana Newsletter In the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, as taught by S. N. Goenka Vol. 29, No. 12, 12 Dec. 2019.)
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– Sons of Guruji and Mataji. (L – R) Ghirdarilal, Banwarilal, Sriprakash, Shyambihari, Jai Prakash and Morarilal.
With lots of Metta to Goenka family –
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Nguồn: Paresh Gujarathi facebook
Link: https://www.facebook.com/GUJARATHI/posts/3694841267226201
