Thanks to five-peso Laboratory Manual for Physical Geology I bought in August last year, I was led to understand a bit about rocks, which, according to geologist, are aggregates of minerals and mineraloids. The manual also wrote that to know more about Earth's history, one must start the study of rocks, "for they bear testimony to their origin and subsequent history." True enough, layers of rock have shown the pre-human life, where fossils of early animals have been preserved well. Stone age is the term used to describe the era of humans using rocks as the main source of technology, an array of artifacts that became forerunners of our modern tools and instruments. Civilization, and thus man-made structures have risen, taking root through the Earth's bedrock as their foundation. Moreover, rock is always synonymous to the Earth, and many literature has written this kind of timeless metaphor. Indeed, rock is undoubtedly an important foundation of human life.I don't want to sound like a scientist here, but this rock thing has an interesting take on my deeper understanding of Love. Looking closer, the rock is a simple fragment of this Earth, perhaps has witnessed millions of years of changes, yet remains unmoved and unchanged. Change is the main quality of our existence, seen in the turn of seasons, of weathers, of eras, of ages. Life comes and goes, from cells to human beings, no exception. But what has left behind is the rock in this kaleidoscopic rhythm of life.
I was particularly surprised on the 8th commune when during my sharing a web of wisdom became so clearly threaded in the topic of Love. I found myself quoting Jesus in Matthew 16:18 where he said "upon this rock I will build my church." Christ's teachings are quite mysterious and cannot be taken literally, for His poetic wordings can only be deciphered with discerning wisdom. It had been my dilemma for many years, and realizing His meaning of rock is liberating. It was right there before my eyes. Rock, the symbol of lastingness, is the symbol of Love.
My most favorite, and perhaps the most active wisdom I have from the Buddha is his saying on Dhammapada 5: "Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world. Through love alone they cease, this is the eternal law." Eternal. This word is the antithesis of the Buddha's teaching of impermanence; yet this word echoes the quality of Love. Only Love has the power to dissolve hatred and to stop violence. And it is for eternity, it doesn't change and never can be corrupted. The Buddha's words pushed me further to juxtaposed this message with the essence of a rock. This rock, bearing innumerable years of existence, represents how Love is truly eternal.
Like a seed sprouting, this rock nesting on my neurons had eventually grown into a very insightful statement I shared in the 9th commune. While sharing the message of love to a group of teenagers at my home, I was again amazed to learn more about Christ's first temptation. Satan asked him to turn stones/rocks into bread, but Christ refused. In a split second, I recalled a friend who often refers to money using the word "bread." Money is somehow a symbol of immediate survival, of insatiable hunger we humans want to satisfy, and thereby never leave us contented. We eat this bread everyday, we do our affairs based on this bread, we decide and not decide because of this bread, we harm and kill each other because of this bread. All of our lives are surrounded and cycle around this bread. It seems that this "breadmania" has ruled our lives and still we remain hungry for more. With the power we know we have inside, we have chosen to turn the "rock" into this bread, and thus suffering became a normal human experience. Nevertheless, Christ said that man does not live by bread alone. It didn't say no need for bread at all. Its not just bread. Love matters, for the words said with Love feed and satisfy this hunger and emptiness of our lives.
It was my first chance to have a small talk with a new Muslim friend after an interfaith service in Pasig. It is quite a dream, since I want to learn more how Love is seen through the Islamic eyes. We had a vibrant exchange of thoughts, and his sharing were intuitive response to my questions on Love. He quoted from the Hadeeth (oral traditions of Muhammad) and I asked him to write this in Arabic on my small notebook. It says in English: "Every part of the person's body must perform charity." Charity is often equally defined as compassion, or more so, unconditional Love. Only awe and gratitude came from me while hearing these words. Finding a Muslim friend allowed me to understand Love in the context of Islam. More than the religion itself, the human experience behind the words of Muhammad represents the deep-seated longing to express and live Love. It reminded me that for every thing that I see, I must see it with the eyes of love. For every deed my hands do, I must do it with Love. For every words I hear from others, I must listen to it with Love. I must open my arms with Love, walk in the path of Love, eat with Love, speak of Love, smell flowers with Love and all the infinite actions I can do as a being. I must be, do and have Love, because I am Love.
The wise builds his house upon a rock. A modern technique if you ask civil engineers. Finding the bedrock is a challenge yet the most important thing to ensure that a building would erect. No wonder the Christ's used the word rock. Every house (which symbolizes the body) standing upon rock (which is Love) can last forever, unaffected, unshaken. This body, sooner will corrupt, so temporary, if acts with Love, can be rendered incorruptible. The flesh may wear out, but not the Love that has made it vibrant and alive in every moment of its life.
The night before His enlightenment, the Buddha was tempted by Mara, the lord of death, and eventually challenged Him to tell why is He rightful of awakening. Unperturbed, He touched the ground and said "the Earth is my witness." Rock, the main ingredient of Earth, borne witness. Of all insightful thoughts about rock, it therefore upholds Love as the true measure of our awakening.
May the eternal Rock within us reminds us the eternity of Love.
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