A story from the Mahayana Buddhist tradition which illustrates the concept articulated by Thich Nath Hanh of Interbeing. Charles Eisenstein has explored the need for stories of Interbeing in ‘Climate The New Story.’
In ancient times, Indra was King of all the Gods. One day he decided to make an artwork. With the extravagance of a God, he wove a vast, yet delicate net.
At each intersection of the threads, or node, he placed a multi-faceted, brilliant jewel. Each gem was perfectly reflected in every other, like a pair of mirrors that reflects an image in a way that is unending. No one jewel was more important than another and each jewel could affect the entire net.
When the wind blew, a bird flew past, the angle of the sun changed or even a song rose up from the earth, the bejewelled net quivered, shimmered or ululated in response.
Everything that exists, or has ever existed, every being, every object, every molecule
and every idea that has ever been thought, or will be thought
is a jewel in Indra’s exquisite net.
Every living creature, and every inanimate object, are jewels in Indra’s magnificent net.
Listen. Feel. Sense. Taste. See.
Where do you sense Indra’s net?
Story version by Jenni.
ARTWORK: ‘Jewelled Net’ Beaded Artwork by Virginia Reid and Nicky McLaughlin
