OM SARI HUM
Worrying whether what you do is right or wrong will not help you to get the answer. It is best that one should sit and contemplate deeply each action which is to be taken. Of course it takes time but any action which brings some concern to the mind, which may affect others’ karma, which may leave traces of doubts in your mind, you must sit and patiently reflect the results of such actions. Or, you may seek the advice of those whom you have faith in so that you are able to get a second opinion. Many a time you will find that some are suffering needlessly because they cannot find a solution to their problems and they do not wish to seek help. Only the ignorant ones do such things.
If there is cause to doubt, always ask. If someone invites you to do something which you feel are not really right though the motivations are good, you should not be involved. Only perform actions which do not cause you any regrets and worries later on. If you feel that what you are doing is good enough for the present, keep at it and feel happy, but when there is dissatisfaction within the mind, you must seek the answers or doubts will set in!
There is no need for you to worry too much about others’ lives to the point that you become depressed. This is not the same as being concerned for their welfare, for if you are getting too drawn in, over attached, to their sufferings which will cause you to become unhappy with the conditions of the world from the wrong angle, it becomes right understanding with the wrong view. Seeing the world as a great suffering place is good and bad, but seeing the suffering as a good condition to awaken the minds of materialistic beings is better. All sufferings have values to the victims. They have to reduce their karmic loads and they have to be given the chance to understand the value of being where they are, and they have to be awakened to spirituality!
To wish to reject the world because of the suffering is the right understanding that one must acquire but what follows after having arrived at this juncture is much more important! Many beings give up hope and fall into deep despair thus losing their directions and that right understanding has borne no fruit. To realise the truth of sufferings and to feel sorry for oneself and others being foolish to stick on to such living conditions, you should begin at once to seek the methods of extinguishing such sufferings for good!
The way to do it is to stop yearning to be caught within worldly lives which must have sufferings as part and parcel of existence, is to follow the teachings and go about patiently to reduce the causes of sufferings so that in time to come sufferings no longer put fear in your mind. You must wish to learn from suffering and become wiser after each experience, understand the root causes and remove them, having succeeded to do so, you begin to go about helping others to realise the importance of this truth, to set examples for them to face life directly and to lead them to a new life! Life is but a process of learning and happiness is but another face of suffering because one cannot know when feelings may be changed, from happiness suffering is understood and vice versa. The important thing to do in life is to understand what its purpose is, then set about to fulfil it instead of worrying and crying for help. Only the self-reliant ones who has knowledge, wisdom and energy can free themselves!
Friday, 27th April 1984 (3rd Moon 27th Day)