Ordinary Enlightment

In Taiwan, I know a family in which every member has taken refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha -- the expression of one's faith in Buddhism). The husband has many problems. Even though he has become a Buddhist, he often does and says things that make other people unhappy. He stayed at Nung Ch'an Monastery in Taiwan for quite a few months, and I tried to help him change. Nothing worked, so I said to his wife, "I think he should go home. He has been in the Temple for quite a while, and the other people there suffer because of him." His wife said, "He has caused the people in the monastery vexations, but only for a few months. I have been married to him for over thirty years, and have had to accept what he says and does for all that time." It appears that this woman had realized the emptiness of the person and the emptiness of the dharma better than the residents of Nung Ch'an Monastery.
It is the wife's practice to read The Sutra of the Earth Store Bodhisattva every day at home. She feels that she married such a difficult man because of her karma. If she divorced him, who would take care of him? Even the Temple doesn't want him, so his wife stays with him to take care of him. This woman is a bodhisattva

Diambil dari Chan Newsletter 109, 2005. Kotbah Master Sheng Yen tentang Surangama Sutra

Kejadian seperti ini banyak sekali kita lihat. Seorang teman yang saya kenal baik memiliki seorang istri yang sangat kasar, tukang marah, kalau suaminya berkata satu kali maka dia akan 100 kali. lewat dari seratus kali dia akan ngamuk bahkan dapat mencakar suaminya dengan sadis. Mendapat perlakukan demikian, teman saya hanya berkata saya terima hal ini sebagai bayaran karma masa lampau saya. Beberapa kali di nasehati untuk menceraikan istrinya dia tetap tidak mau. Teguh dengan prinsip kesetiaan. Dari sini jika renungkan maka dibanding kehidupan monestary yang teduh, maka ujian kehidupan umat adalah jauh lebih sempurna oleh karena itu hasilnyapun pasti lebih sempurna. Ini adalah contoh bahwa The Way of Enlightment banyak merupakan Ordinary Enlightment! Meskipun tidak tercatat oleh sejarah bukan berarti kosong akan tetapi melebihi itu semua gambaran pencapaian. Lagipula bukankah sejarah diciptakan oleh siapa yang menulisnya? Ordinary Enlightment memang marginal dalam sejarah akan tetapi dia adalah mainstream dalam pencapaian!