Recognizing All Beings as Mothers
Seeing all beings as having been one's mother in past lives.
Over countless rebirths, every being has been one's mother. This recognition generates deep gratitude and compassion, motivating us to repay their kindness through dharma practice.
Every being has been my mother in a past life.
This contemplation transforms how we view difficult people.
Lojong Texts
Written about in
- What Tibetan Buddhism says about compassion
A mind-training exercise: consider that across countless lives every being has at some point been your mother. It is used to make gratitude specific rather than general.
- What Tibetan Buddhism says about envy and comparison
Across beginningless rebirths, the lojong texts hold, every being has at some point been your mother. The person whose success stings has fed you, and the response owed is gratitude and repayment, not measurement.