OM MANI PADME HUM
It is important that every act should be free from selfish intention. It may seem to be quite impossible to act thus at the beginning, but the way of the cultivation has to be such. It is not just living without causing harm to others that is sufficient. Unless you begin to think seriously and reflect deeply, it will not be easy to recognise how much evil there is within the actions of the thoughts, words and deeds. To the average person, not causing hurt to others means to mind his own business, to refrain from getting into any kind of activity with others so as to live quietly by himself. Living thus, he thinks that he has caused no harm and therefore should have no enemy at all, so that he will become confused as to why there should be some who dislike him at all. Even living as a recluse, one can still have wrong thoughts and desires which generate evil karma and there are also the evil karma of past lives to be accounted for. To live without being charitable to others, to live in a state of suspension without cultivating merits for the future, this in itself is gross ignorance. If there is such a person who can live without guidance of the Dharma and can live beneficially, he is indeed a rare being. Everyone should then practise contemplation and discover how pure their past actions have been and he will gradually realise that he has built up an enormous amount of demerits even though he seems to be living in a harmless manner. What then could cause such evil tendencies if he has refrained from mixing with others? He has just to look at his thoughts, his aspirations and motivations, his acts, and his weaknesses in the form of habits. How much defilements he has, he will be ashamed to recognise. If such a person thinks that he does not need a religious path to walk, spiritual friends to advise, then he will not have any opportunity to purify his past misdeeds, then he is a totally ignorant one!
It does not mean that every religious path will lead to purification even though they teach goodness and compassion. One must think over carefully what these religions have to offer. Just self-happiness without a care for others well-being? A reward of indescribable heavenly bliss just out of belief in a deity? Pointing the fingers at others and grossly insulting their faiths without even having the simplest notion of what their religions practices and teachings are? All these and even more questions one must ask. To be led into a religious path out of promise of reward and the satisfaction, is to be a blind follower whose faith can be shaken at any time. To become such a follower is to insult the great faith that one is taking up.
Heavenly bliss will not be his, a rebirth into the lower realms of ignorance will be more likely. So it is still best to know oneself, one’s intention and one’s action of each day. No matter what other paths are there that are more tempting, much simpler to follow and having no need whatsoever to care for the well-being of others, do not be tempted to cross over. Do not be led easily like a donkey who foolishly chases the carrot that is dangling before him and be used by others without any wisdom.
The path of the Buddha is supreme. It leads to supreme enlightenment. It requires investigation, cultivation, right actions and the practices of all the virtues that you can think of. There is no short cut to attainment, one must understand that all evil karma must be worked off in life after life until they are extinguished; one must realise the true nature of life which is suffering filled, one must decide to be rid of being thrown into this sea of suffering, and accept the path of self-discipline that must lead to supreme wisdom, that will develop inner strength and the will to become a supremely developed being who is free from any of the negativities that are influenced by the poisons of greed, hatred, anger and delusion; one must work oneself into a pure being who causes no pain to others and will desist from misleading others; one strives to attain full liberation from the bonds of human suffering to become yet another enlightened one with the aim of leading others to enlightenment too. This then, is the aim of each who walks the bodhisattva way, and becomes one whose actions are filled with benevolence!
Tuesday, 23rd April 1985 (3rd Moon 4th Day)