It requires nothing more than a sincere commitment to responsibility. Wherever we stand, sit, lie down, or make use of a space — whether it be a bathroom or any other place — let us simply take note of the condition it was in before we arrived, and before we leave, restore it to that same good order through cleaning and tidying. That alone is enough.
In doing so, the virtues of a good householder are immediately and remarkably cultivated within us. It becomes our personal character and our personal virtue. And when we are able to do this consistently — even if we cannot yet perform miracles, and even if we have not yet overcome all our imperfections — we become a worthy role model: for those in our household, for our children and grandchildren, for those in our community, and for our temple.
From a Dhamma talk delivered at the Eighth Buddhist Missionary Project (Dhammaduta Bhikkhus Project) Wat Ratchaorasaram, Bangkok
March 25th, 2015
