Uncertainty, when accepted, sheds a bright light on the power of intention. That is what we can count on--not the outcome, but the motivation we bring, the vision we hold, the compass setting we choose to follow. Hence the essential importance and beauty of bodhicitta, the motivation of the bodhisattva. In the Buddha Dharma it is also called adhitthana, which connotes resolve and steadfastness in choice, and also the physical foundation of a building. As we explored together how intention can work in our lives, other images arose: we saw it as a rudder by which we can steer, as a vehicle we can ride, as refuge, the one thing we can be sure about. Resolve can save us from getting lost in grief.
- Joanna Macy -