Simplicity as way of life focuses attention on the absolute essentials and serves as an effective practice to clear the many obstructions that inhibit our deep hearing of the nembutsu, as the sacred call of life. Simplicity as a Buddhist practice strips away the evitable distractions of our modern 21st century life that competes for our attention and keeps us under the torrents of the rat race, addictions, fear and unrestrained materialism. Instead, it directs us to look at what is truly important for our spiritual journey such as family, nembutsu, dharma, sangha and the Earth. Living an unadorned life helps us to be awake, free and open that further cultivates the Buddhist virtues of humility and gratitude. This does not mean that we should live in caves or huts without electricity and running water. On the contrary, it means living a comfortable and balanced life yet not under the sway of attachments or aversions such as gain or loss, praise or blame, fame or shame and happiness and hopelessness.
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Simplicity of life impels us to want or possess fewer things, appreciating more of what we have and using what we possess in the service of others. When we have fewer distractions in our lives then we can concentrate more in our inner realm and truly live the Buddha Dharma and manifest the nembutsu. At its core, simplicity is the living practice of reality as it is.
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