The Ten Young Women
JESUS MAFA, 1973
My dear friends,
The parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1-13 speaks to the concept of preparedness and mindfulness.
Ten bridesmaids took their lamps
and went to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
When the foolish took their lamps,
they took no oil with them;
but the wise took flasks of oil
with their lamps."
- Matthew 25:1-4
In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, wisdom and compassion are like the two wings that allow a bird to soar: both are indispensable. The five wise bridesmaids embody the quality of prajñā, or transcendent wisdom, which anticipates needs and prepares accordingly. Their lamps, filled with oil, are like the minds of the wise, filled with the light of understanding and the fuel of diligent practice.
Conversely, the foolish bridesmaids carry lamps without oil, symbolizing the perils of spiritual complacency and the lack of foresight. Their lack of preparation is a reminder of the necessity of consistent practice and the cultivation of virtuous qualities. In Buddhism, this could be likened to one who attends teachings and admires the Dharma, but fails to integrate it into their being, thus finding themselves unprepared when the moment of truth arrives.
But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps."
- Matthew 25:5-7
The arrival of the bridegroom at midnight reminds us of the unpredictable nature of death or of karmic ripening, which comes without warning. The wise, having the oil of merit and wisdom, are able to meet this moment with their lamps burning bright. This speaks to the importance of being mindful and ready at all times, for the exact hour of death is unknown, and one must always be prepared to face it with a mind full of virtue.
But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us;
you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'"
- Matthew 25:8-9
In the refusal of the wise bridesmaids to give their oil to the foolish, we are taught that there are some things that cannot be borrowed or given at the last minute. Just as the experience of enlightenment and the results of karma are individual and cannot be transferred, so too must each person be responsible for their own spiritual preparedness.
The closing of the door to the wedding banquet to the foolish bridesmaids who were late is a stark metaphor for the definitive nature of karmic consequences. It teaches the urgency of spiritual practice and the necessity of vigilance in the path. The Buddhist teaching on impermanence underscores this urgency, as the opportunity to practice is precious and not to be squandered.
- Matthew 25:13
This final exhortation to "keep awake" reminds us all that the present moment is the only time to engage in the work of preparing the mind, like filling one's lamp with oil, so that when the moment of great transition arrives, whether it be death or a profound spiritual opportunity, one is ready to step through the door.
The parable of the ten bridesmaids is a call to live with awareness and wisdom, to cultivate the virtuous qualities required for the journey, and to remain ever-mindful of the impermanent nature of life. It is a lesson in spiritual readiness, where foresight and preparation illuminate the path to liberation, a lesson as vital in a Mahayana Buddhist context as it is in its Christian scriptural origins.