AT THE TEMPLE one of my jobs was to sweep. Making my rounds around a Buddhist temple with a broom & dustpan, sweeping up one dust mote at a time, concentrating on the Buddha's name: Namo Amitoufo.

Sweep, sweep, sweep, past, present, future, gone, gone, gone.

Dustpan eventually fills up & is emptied in the trash.

Then, I return my broom, wash my hands, and head to the main hall. Sun pours into that temple, large windows facing east, tiled floor reflects the sunlight as if the ground was yellow gold.

My other job was to "watch the main hall". Sitting full lotus behind a desk reading sutras, nodding at the odd tourist that wanders through. Some days were spent in such sacred silence & stillness, deep in study of the Dharma. Not bad at all! Just sweeping a hall, diving into the sutra treasury, & dwelling my whole heart on six sacred syllables; Na-mo A- mi- t'o- fo!