STORY 8 – THE CROOKED CLOCK

by Ayya Seri Bhikkhuni

During my first Rains retreat at the monastery in 2002, I was rostered on shrine duty. I was quite slow in completing my tasks and I had to quickly put up the clock on the wall in the shrine.

Ayya Vayama Bhikkhuni Theri saw the crooked clock that I had put up in a hurry. She did not say anything, but later gave a talk on mindfulness and how we use mindfulness in our daily activities, including mindfully putting up the clock straight up on the wall. She also talked about doing the work with full attention, as a way we pay respect to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

I apologised for my crooked job.

After dana, I walked to the bush towards Bonny’s bridge. I cried. I was overwhelmed. I felt I could not do the practice and I would not be able to be mindful 24 hours a day. It was too much hard work. I saw my friends, “Mother” kangaroo and “Baby” kangaroo, around the bridge. I poured all my tears out the whole afternoon and telling them I could not do it anymore.

I had an interview with my teacher later that week to talk about my practice. I stayed on.

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