Some inspiring articles and quotes ....
"It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity." --Francis Bacon
"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." --Ivan Panin
"Fulfillment of desire is an illusion; desire leads to more desire, not satisfaction." --Kathleen McDonald
(Paradoxically, we need desire to overcome desire too.)
Realisation: Why Resent a Fire for Burning?
"It is natural for the immature to harm others. Getting angry with them is like resenting fire for burning." --Shantideva
It is only perfectly natural and nothing illogical for fire to burn. To resent being burnt while touching fire or when touched by it is surely plain stupidity. As Stonepeace put it, "Being angry with the immature is immature. Being angry with our immaturity is also immature." Looking back, virtually all in my life so far, whom I thought ever held personal grudges against me happen to have similar attitudes toward many others. This means I do not really have "personal enemies" - it is not personal; they are just being their "usual" selves.
Thus, there is no need to take so-called "enemies" personally. Responding with understanding that our "enemies" are suffering from resentment is both kinder and wiser to them and to us. Of course, our karma conditions our encounters with problematic people in our lives, but we choose how to respond, thus changing our karma. To take enmity personally "feeds fuel to the fire" of negative karmic affinity. Taking it graciously with forgiveness helps to cool and extinguish the flames.
Here is an example of mutual fanning of a fire... Two persons brush against each other accidentally in a crowd, thus stirring up the "instant karma" of ill-will in each other. They might glare at each other with burning rage, each expecting an apology from the other. A fight might even break out. But the truth is, both were just following their nature of unmindfulness - which caused the unhappiness, which also resulted from unmindfulness.
It is really nothing personal - even if both take it extremely personally. There is no substantial "self" anyway, much less any "personal" enemies. "Self" is an illusion conjured by the aggregation of changing forms, feelings, perceptions, intentions and consciousness. As a common urge to dissolve tension goes - "Hey, no hard feelings!" Indeed, no feelings stay hard and fast since we constantly change mentally. To "hold" fast to ill-will instead of letting it go is unhealthy because it sustains hate, that eats you away by generating ill feelings repeatedly. It's self-defeating.
We should not bear any grudge against those who harm us, but have great compassion for them instead - because they eventually cause suffering for themselves through their constant "burning" of others around them. This sustains problems in their relationships while creating new problems. Those who burn others with hatred first burn themselves by harming their own peace of mind.
Just as such emotional disturbances harm them needlessly, there is no need to let their disturbances harm your peace of mind. If you come across anyone who might be nursing a grudge against you, why not forward them this article to share? Of course, to prevent more ill feelings from arising, it would be gentlemanly to remark thus - "Hi, here's something interesting to share. Sincerely hope you'll find it useful. If I'd ever been a 'fire' that burnt you purposely or accidentally, please forgive me. Please let me know my mistakes too." Sending this helps to "burn" your pridefulness away too. - Shen Shi'an (Inspired by Kinox)
"As the enemy of my enemy is me, our common enemy is enmity." --Stonepeace
Realisation : Change Is The Basis Of Life
"Because everything changes from moment to moment, we can only treasure everything in this moment. Because everything changes from moment to moment, we should not be attached to anything in this moment." --Stonepeace
The work of acknowledging everything in mindfulness leads us to a deeper view of what life is. It is very important to understand that impermanence is not a negative aspect of life. Impermanence is is the very basis of life. If what exists were not impermanent, no life could continue. If a grain of corn were not impermanent, it could not become a corn plant. If a tiny child were not impermanent, she could not grow into an adult.
Life is impermanent, but that does not mean it it not worth living. It is precisely because of its impermanece that we value life so dearly. Therefore we must know how to live each moment deeply and use it in a responsible way. If we are able to live the present moment completely, we will not feel regret later. We will know how to care for those who are close to us and know how to bring them happiness. When we accept that all things are impermanent, we will not be incapacitated by suffering when things decay and die. We can remain peaceful and content in the face of change, prosperity and decline, success and failure.
"It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity." --Francis Bacon
"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." --Ivan Panin
"Fulfillment of desire is an illusion; desire leads to more desire, not satisfaction." --Kathleen McDonald
(Paradoxically, we need desire to overcome desire too.)
Realisation: Why Resent a Fire for Burning?
"It is natural for the immature to harm others. Getting angry with them is like resenting fire for burning." --Shantideva
It is only perfectly natural and nothing illogical for fire to burn. To resent being burnt while touching fire or when touched by it is surely plain stupidity. As Stonepeace put it, "Being angry with the immature is immature. Being angry with our immaturity is also immature." Looking back, virtually all in my life so far, whom I thought ever held personal grudges against me happen to have similar attitudes toward many others. This means I do not really have "personal enemies" - it is not personal; they are just being their "usual" selves.
Thus, there is no need to take so-called "enemies" personally. Responding with understanding that our "enemies" are suffering from resentment is both kinder and wiser to them and to us. Of course, our karma conditions our encounters with problematic people in our lives, but we choose how to respond, thus changing our karma. To take enmity personally "feeds fuel to the fire" of negative karmic affinity. Taking it graciously with forgiveness helps to cool and extinguish the flames.
Here is an example of mutual fanning of a fire... Two persons brush against each other accidentally in a crowd, thus stirring up the "instant karma" of ill-will in each other. They might glare at each other with burning rage, each expecting an apology from the other. A fight might even break out. But the truth is, both were just following their nature of unmindfulness - which caused the unhappiness, which also resulted from unmindfulness.
It is really nothing personal - even if both take it extremely personally. There is no substantial "self" anyway, much less any "personal" enemies. "Self" is an illusion conjured by the aggregation of changing forms, feelings, perceptions, intentions and consciousness. As a common urge to dissolve tension goes - "Hey, no hard feelings!" Indeed, no feelings stay hard and fast since we constantly change mentally. To "hold" fast to ill-will instead of letting it go is unhealthy because it sustains hate, that eats you away by generating ill feelings repeatedly. It's self-defeating.
We should not bear any grudge against those who harm us, but have great compassion for them instead - because they eventually cause suffering for themselves through their constant "burning" of others around them. This sustains problems in their relationships while creating new problems. Those who burn others with hatred first burn themselves by harming their own peace of mind.
Just as such emotional disturbances harm them needlessly, there is no need to let their disturbances harm your peace of mind. If you come across anyone who might be nursing a grudge against you, why not forward them this article to share? Of course, to prevent more ill feelings from arising, it would be gentlemanly to remark thus - "Hi, here's something interesting to share. Sincerely hope you'll find it useful. If I'd ever been a 'fire' that burnt you purposely or accidentally, please forgive me. Please let me know my mistakes too." Sending this helps to "burn" your pridefulness away too. - Shen Shi'an (Inspired by Kinox)
"As the enemy of my enemy is me, our common enemy is enmity." --Stonepeace
Realisation : Change Is The Basis Of Life
"Because everything changes from moment to moment, we can only treasure everything in this moment. Because everything changes from moment to moment, we should not be attached to anything in this moment." --Stonepeace
The work of acknowledging everything in mindfulness leads us to a deeper view of what life is. It is very important to understand that impermanence is not a negative aspect of life. Impermanence is is the very basis of life. If what exists were not impermanent, no life could continue. If a grain of corn were not impermanent, it could not become a corn plant. If a tiny child were not impermanent, she could not grow into an adult.
Life is impermanent, but that does not mean it it not worth living. It is precisely because of its impermanece that we value life so dearly. Therefore we must know how to live each moment deeply and use it in a responsible way. If we are able to live the present moment completely, we will not feel regret later. We will know how to care for those who are close to us and know how to bring them happiness. When we accept that all things are impermanent, we will not be incapacitated by suffering when things decay and die. We can remain peaceful and content in the face of change, prosperity and decline, success and failure.
2 comments:
Observation:
This "Stonepeace" is very Zen.
In fact, this particular essay is very Zen. Normally people in your religious affliation do not believe in Karma, because of the implication that reincarnation exists. (At least in the Buddhist interpretation.)
Believe is one thing. Being inspired is another thing. Its an inspiration to do something good and to have a better life, which is what every religion believes in.
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