By Ranil Wijeyesekera –
Ranil Wijeyesekera
In today’s World Knowledge and Wisdom seem all important. God wanted man not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Man disobeyed. This led to original sin. The use of Knowledge not in Harmony with Gods will is the greatest sin. Wisdom is Knowledge accordance to Gods will.
God created man in the image of God. In his heart God implanted his will for us. Even the fall did not change man creation in the image of God. What we now need is the circumcision of the Heart. The Blood of Jesus does this for us.
In mans endless thirst for knowledge we are heading for destruction. However his word promises that Jesus is coming again and that we will reign as joint heirs with him.
The Bible tells us of what happened, is happening and what is to come. It guides us in our spiritual maturity to gain fully the fruit of the spirit. We see in the Bible how Jesus lived. Spoke thought and acted. The living relationship with Jesus guides us. The Holy Spirit through the rheama Word of the Bible prompts and convicts and guides us in our walk with Jesus.
Jesus lived a life of service and dedication. He continuously communed with the Father followed his direction on the choices he had to make. He was born when Mary his Mother was told of his birth out of wedlock and he was conceived by the Holy spirit. Children gain original sin through their sinful Father. As his Father was God the Father who is divine and sinless he was born without original sin. He was named Jesus or Savior to perform his destiny to free the World of sin. Jewish family of the day are named to perform their destiny.
Let our great President a seeker of the Truth lead Lanka to new heights. Lets rally round President Mahinda for he represents tradition and the new.
He lived a sinless life. Jesus healed the sick. He travelled by foot great distance and taught people with simple stories the great truth of eternal life. He performed many Miracles. He brought the dead to Life. He attacked God’s nominal representatives for their distortion of the spirit of the Word. His Thinking. Word and Actions transformed lives. He lived a life as predestined to become fully man. Emptying himself as God the son he lived and experience all through empathy with others. He was hunted by the leading Jews of the day to kill him but always met threats, anger and hate with divine love.
He empathized. As God he reached out to men at their own level. He healed the sick. He taught parables where he corrected work methods while teaching Pearls from the Kingdom of God. He spoke in the language of the time , place and day that was relevant to their day to day life.
Jesus Christ performed his destiny to transform the world belonging to Satan back to a World that was created good. It is to be a World that through his sacrificial death and resurrection A glorious World that different people of different races and cultures would rule as joint heirs in a new Earth and Heaven.
He suffered a horrendous death on the cross with divine love for his murderers. His Life and Death paid by his blood for all peoples. He was and is divine at all times as well as man. He was enlightened always being all powerful, all Knowledgeable and present everywhere. On the Cross of a Olive tree near a olive grove he merged with all creation and by his blood he transformed man in the past, present and future to the glorified man of the future. This is the Real enlightenment and Resurrection A complete transformed glorified and super perfect Divine Person.. Not to gain Knowledge and go to a Life non existence. It is a life that we live today to live and help others no matter what the cost. To live life’s of dedication like the bodhi satvayo. .
All of us have problem areas thet need healing and transformation. May God Bless e3very part of our Body, Soul and Mind.
Lord Buddha had an unusual birth. He was born into a noble Royal Family. Her Mother saw in a dream that she would conceive. Great and dual things were predicted regarding his future. His father protected him from observing poverty and reality. He had a luxurious childhood in different palaces built to suit the seasons. He ate food that was prepared on Ayurvedic principles according to Dosa type. Ayurveda regulated his life style and medication and brought discipline to his daily routine. After maturing he married and had a son. He would have tasted the joy of a Harem and many beautiful women in his younger days. He learnt the arts of combat, state craft and steadily gained knowledge of the Worldly Affairs.
Lord Buddha saw the World of Decay and left a life of Kingship to seek a solution for the problems of the world. He subjected his body to torture and great physical suffering.
He developed great endurance. Lord Buddha then followed the Yogis of the day and acquired great powers of control of bodily function and body secretions. Stretching and postures often mimicking natural animal postures he gained great control of body, mind and spirit. He was able to exceed his Guru’s in performing many miracles. His astral form left his body and he was able to travel in spirit, many types of Meditation were performed by him.
He studied the Hindu scriptures. In the Lotus Asana he activated the seven chakras individually and collectively with Mantras similar to seven notes and visualizing seven color. Each chakras was stimulated with pressure on chakra point with different finger grips and acupressure. He meditated with twelve finger joining positions e.g. The joining of the thumb and next finger and applying pressure.
He rejected his Future Life as a King. He rejected the Life of a Hindu ascetic. He found that this did not meet the problem of Suffering. He continued his Quest for the truth and enlightenment.
The Lord Buddha found the path to enlightenment on a Bo Tree. The Tree is Ficus Religosa and commonly known as a variety of the fig tree mentioned in the Bible. The fig tree was cursed as it did not bear fruit. The Cloned Bo tree representing the tree Lord Buddha gained enlightenment multiplies with shoots. Does it bear fruit. Under the Tree he stayed under its shade and fasted till he reached enlightenment. Lord Buddha gained knowledge of what he thought of as past births. His mind fused with the mind of others and their past, present and future. The release of Kundamali energy when releasing blocks of joining the chakras and creating a force linking all creatures their thoughts, feelings and emotions. This was tapping into God all mighty who he did not believe in. Release of Blocks in chakra’s transform peoples personality and make them born again.
His teaching was based on the Four Noble Truths. He recognized that suffering was the root of all evil. To find the cause of Suffering was his Goal. Allaying of Suffering And the path that leads to allaying of suffering which is the Noble eight fold path. We believe self sacrificial love and suffering such as the bodhisattva bore. This path consists of Right Understanding. Right Resolution. Right speech. Right Action, Right Livelihood. Right effort. Right Mindfulness. Right Concentration. Christians believe in a life of virtue and sacrifice.
The final path to enlightenment is described as being in the Sangaha is being male. Three characteristics of existence was identified as Impermanence, laden with suffering and absence of permanent entity. Christians believe that we finally will find permanence in a new earth and heaven.
Lord Buddha’s word is in the Tripitika. Pirith which are in Pali convey in a chant similar to a Mantra the different Sutras and messages the Lord Buddha delivered. Many Monks learn to interpret and teach the scriptures. The Relics of Lord Buddha and other saints the sacred Bo tree and the Buddhist statues form a spiritual shield around Sri Lanka. Pirith is chanted every day as a priority in temples TV and Radio. Many Buddhist believe in Astrology , Ayurveda, Vastu Vidiya and talismans, Yantras and Katdiya Exorcism.
The bo tree is the tree that Lord Buddha gained enlightenment. He was grateful for it. The tree provides oxygen to us. And cleanses our Breath. Urine mixed with water may be offered too. Care to the sacred Bo is top priority even the death of insects to.
Many Converts to Christianity have pagan beliefs outside the pure Buddhist Dhamma. Spiritual warfare and teaching of the rheama word is necessary to release blocks in their lives and bring them to discipleship and maturity. Recognition of Culture and Religion and directing them to a proper World View is a must.
In today’s World Transformation to Enlightenment needs a deep understanding in Psychology. Psych analysis, cognitional therapy, counseling, mentoring and hypnosis can play its part. Today scientists are exploring the function of the brain. Courses are available for speed reading, mental arithmetic short cuts and expanding ones memory.
Putting ones thoughts on paper and jointly analyzing for improvement of character and mental balance is being carried out. Research on Occult and Religious practices are releasing a Pandora box of Danger to the World. Hypothesis on Religious Power are being tested analytically.
How do we search for truth close and yet to far. History and archeology can unravel as well as lie. The great Buddha and Lord Jesus should not be thought of as absolute truth s. When we see different Nikayas and denominations and different scriptures we have to depend on Gods rhema word. However even Jesus was fed with Satan’s biblical word. He knew the truth but not all shepherds know The True Sheppard’s voice.
In the World the two sects of Authorized Version and the mystical remain. The word based Religion and the one that taps into the spiritual world. Buddhism is rational and a Philosophy then Col. Olcott view and the others are right. But I also believe in the mystical and that all things are both beautiful and right.
In Islam there is the Sufi and in Christianity extreme spiritualism in the name of the holy Spirit reigns. In Buddhism a the mystical is Extreme Mahayana.
In Sri Lanka a mixture of Thevada , Jositha, Vast Vidya charms and mantras make it closer to the mystical Mahayana. Sinhala Kings and commoners marring south Indians brought a mixture of Hinduism as well. The truth however has to be revealed. Physiology, Examination of New Age doctrines and archeology seems to be a key.
Pilamanwanse runs through history of our country. Changing form and content. Buddhism came to our country through King Asoka and Mahinda his son. History mixes. Religion. King Alexander created the route to Asia and The crusades disrupted routes from time to time. Sea routes were established from Europe to Asia and Asia to China. Thevada Buddhism seems to have travelled along the sea course. Mahayana through Land. When Thieved came to china and Japan it mixed with Confucianism and Shinto too.
Here came Mahayana. Chinese Fa Hien and others brought Religious thoughts from East Asia to. Singapore was influenced by Chinese which brought Mahayana here. The Chinese spread through Asia and change was introduced. The Arabs brought Islam to many Lands. They travelled to the East and mingled. It seems to prove that Mahayana influence is in our architecture and Lifestyle are here to stay. Development brought China, Japan, Korea and Singapore with its problems.
Migration to India from Europe produced an Aryan strain. India Mogul invasions and Genghis Khan changed Aryan content in India. Hindu was a home grown and stayed mainly in India. With invasion and change of Islam population content was in flux. This pulse affected South Asia and Buddhism receded. Styles of Architecture came to Sri Lanka and Islam influence is in Pilame. Dagoba and Murals. We must separate the pure Art forms while loving the mutant to. Astrology influenced architecture with our tradition of NEWS and the pulse of daylight. Pirith chambers are built to rigid geometrical design.
The pulse of energy flow in Vastu vidiya is important. Pilame of Buddha have spiritual influence beyond mere robots. In the sacred Bo it belie4ved that the Bahiraya a tree spirit lives there. Sacrifices of trees on altrs by Abraham shows thet they are valued. These are influenced by space and time. In New year we have the Ideal avurudu kumaraya chosen for height and girth. It is based on Astrological colander and varies from year to year.
Artisians are influenced by present time and tradition to. Some pilames could be timely and some with a time lapse. New year in countries are different and are based on a solar calendar. Art from countries mix to form a superior culture that we see today.
Lord Buddha’s Pilame would be3 bared on Astrology, place time triangle. The Lord Buddha’s birthday on different traditions may be the key the Buddha jayanthi or 25500 birthday is a change of an era. Is the Lunar base calendar true. Who was born on that day to the auspicious time on that day..Let’s examine the TRUTH and know that truth conquers. Ignorance banished and enlightenment attained.
What links Buddhism is The sacred Bo Tree, The Dagoba, and The Buddha Pilime and the Tank. The Tank holds many mysteries of prayer full building and care.
Mysticism surrounds. The Buddha’s main platform was the banishing of Ignorance. We must dig deeper and find the secrets that modern tools can reveal. Let our great President a seeker of the Truth lead Lanka to new heights. Lets rally round President Mahinda for he represents tradition and the new. While some men have Dreams he has visions and implements them to. He projects to do the IMPOSSIBLE and his track record shows accomplishment of the IMPOSIBLE.
Let our mind. body and spirit be in him in thought, word and deed.
Thiru / June 26, 2014
This man is talking a lot of crap about Rajapakse the mass murderer while sensible people are asking how to get the devil out of the island:
He must be living in hi cookoo world! Let God, Allah or Buddha bless him in his ignorant bliss!
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Amarasiri / June 26, 2014
Ranil Wijeyesekera aka Mara Shill
“Mysticism surrounds. The Buddha’s main platform was the banishing of Ignorance. We must dig deeper and find the secrets that modern tools can reveal. Let our great President a seeker of the Truth lead Lanka to new heights. Lets rally round President Mahinda for he represents tradition and the new. While some men have Dreams he has visions and implements them to. He projects to do the IMPOSSIBLE and his track record shows accomplishment of the IMPOSIBLE.”
Ranil Wijeyesekera aka Mara Shill. This is Crap. Just like the monk Mahanama lies and Imaginations.
You have no shame. Did Buddha teach to lie?
What is the truth?
Do you want to learn Buddhism? If so, learn from What Buddha Taught by Rev. Walpola Rahula, Ven. Narada Thero and the Tipitaka.
What is the truth?
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Sensible / June 27, 2014
You are correct. I was born to a Christian family, studied in a Christian school and became a ‘born again Christian. Suddenly I realized how dumb I was to have blind faith in a religion which is being proven wrong with advancement of science. I read the book you have recommended, ‘What the Buddha taught’ by Dr. Walpola Rahula. What a revelation it was. It is an excellent start up book. I am completely immersed in learning Buddhism now. It is the most wonderful thing I have ever come across and being proven right by every scientific discovery. Therefore I am thoroughly disappointed by the actions of BBS which is destroying the greatest philosophy.
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Amarasiri / June 27, 2014
Ranil Wijeyesekera –
“Lord Buddha’s Pilame would be3 bared on Astrology, place time triangle. The Lord Buddha’s birthday on different traditions may be the key the Buddha jayanthi or 25500 birthday is a change of an era. Is the Lunar base calendar true. Who was born on that day to the auspicious time on that day..Let’s examine the TRUTH and know that truth conquers. Ignorance banished and enlightenment attained.”
1. Ranil Wijeyesekera , you are really a confused Para-Sinhala “Buddhist”..
2. Buddha was No Lord. He never claimed to be a Lord or God.
3. The Para-Sinhala Buddhist d Lank, the land of Native Veddah, follow the lies sand imaginations of para-monk Mahanama of Mahawansa Notoriety.
4. The Para-Sinhala are paras from South India, just like the Para-Tamils and other paras.
5. The Agriculture the Paras used was developed in South India.
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anonymous / June 26, 2014
Man, you must be on a high dose of ‘Viagra’…..look frustrated.
“While some men have Dreams he has visions and implements them to.”
What is the difference between a ‘Dream’ and a ‘Vision’? Both are illusionary you idiot!
“He projects to do the IMPOSSIBLE and his track record shows accomplishment of the IMPOSIBLE.”
Let me try and get into your hollow brains idiotic dreams or visions just like MR’s.
When someone is born to this world (Bhava)in pali the death (marana) which follows it is guaranteed. It is ‘Impossible’ to stop, avoid or in your own words, ‘accomplish’.
Why don’t you take trip on a 134 bus to Hambanthota? Sorry you know where.
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gotabhaya / June 26, 2014
Which orifice of a sentient being does this sort of crap come out of?
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Thiru / June 26, 2014
This is called pious holy crap!
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justice / June 26, 2014
Ranil Wijeyesekera and fellow humans,
Please listen to Stephen Hawking – introduced by Carl Sagan – on the formation of the universe – beware, it is a two-hour presentation and then think about it – titled “A Brief History of Time”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGpfu-KpuLw
You need only ALevel physics & chemistry to understand.
We are arguing about evil humans unnecessarily.
What will happen, will happen.
I try and avoid evil.
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Amarasiri / June 27, 2014
justice
Ranil Wijeyesekera and fellow Para-Sinhala only believe in the crap , the lies and imaginations pf Para-Monk Mahanama.
What is the average outside temperature in degrees F in Lanka, the Land of Native Veddah? That is the IQ of Ranil Wijeyesekera .
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Peace Lover / June 26, 2014
Compassion and the Individual
Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
The purpose of life
ONE GREAT QUESTION underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? I have considered this question and would like to share my thoughts in the hope that they may be of direct, practical benefit to those who read them.
I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.
How to achieve happiness
For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us. Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life. If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace.
From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!
Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others’ suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase.
Our need for love
Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will not survive. However vigorous and independent one may feel during the most prosperous periods of life, when one is sick or very young or very old, one must depend on the support of others.
Inter-dependence, of course, is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay.
It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.
We have to consider what we human beings really are. We are not like machine-made objects. If we are merely mechanical entities, then machines themselves could alleviate all of our sufferings and fulfill our needs.
However, since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. Instead, we should consider our origins and nature to discover what we require.
Leaving aside the complex question of the creation and evolution of our universe, we can at least agree that each of us is the product of our own parents. In general, our conception took place not just in the context of sexual desire but from our parents’ decision to have a child. Such decisions are founded on responsibility and altruism – the parents compassionate commitment to care of their child until it is able to take care of itself. Thus, from the very moment of our conception, our parents’ love is directly in our creation.
Moreover, we are completely dependent upon our mothers’ care from the earliest stages of our growth. According to some scientists, a pregnant woman’s mental state, be it calm or agitated, has a direct physical effect on her unborn child.
The expression of love is also very important at the time of birth. Since the very first thing we do is suck milk from our mothers’ breast, we naturally feel close to her, and she must feel love for us in order to feed us properly; if she feels anger or resentment her milk may not flow freely.
Then there is the critical period of brain development from the time of birth up to at least the age of three or four, during which time loving physical contact is the single most important factor for the normal growth of the child. If the child is not held, hugged, cuddled, or loved, its development will be impaired and its brain will not mature properly.
Since a child cannot survive without the care of others, love is its most important nourishment. The happiness of childhood, the allaying of the child’s many fears and the healthy development of its self-confidence all depend directly upon love.
Nowadays, many children grow up in unhappy homes. If they do not receive proper affection, in later life they will rarely love their parents and, not infrequently, will find it hard to love others. This is very sad.
As children grow older and enter school, their need for support must be met by their teachers. If a teacher not only imparts academic education but also assumes responsibility for preparing students for life, his or her pupils will feel trust and respect and what has been taught will leave an indelible impression on their minds. On the other hand, subjects taught by a teacher who does not show true concern for his or her students’ overall well-being will be regarded as temporary and not retained for long.
Similarly, if one is sick and being treated in hospital by a doctor who evinces a warm human feeling, one feels at ease and the doctors’ desire to give the best possible care is itself curative, irrespective of the degree of his or her technical skill. On the other hand, if one’s doctor lacks human feeling and displays an unfriendly expression, impatience or casual disregard, one will feel anxious, even if he or she is the most highly qualified doctor and the disease has been correctly diagnosed and the right medication prescribed. Inevitably, patients’ feelings make a difference to the quality and completeness of their recovery.
Even when we engage in ordinary conversation in everyday life, if someone speaks with human feeling we enjoy listening, and respond accordingly; the whole conversation becomes interesting, however unimportant the topic may be. On the other hand, if a person speaks coldly or harshly, we feel uneasy and wish for a quick end to the interaction. From the least to the most important event, the affection and respect of others are vital for our happiness.
Recently I met a group of scientists in America who said that the rate of mental illness in their country was quite high-around twelve percent of the population. It became clear during our discussion that the main cause of depression was not a lack of material necessities but a deprivation of the affection of the others.
So, as you can see from everything I have written so far, one thing seems clear to me: whether or not we are consciously aware of it, from the day we are born, the need for human affection is in our very blood. Even if the affection comes from an animal or someone we would normally consider an enemy, both children and adults will naturally gravitate towards it.
I believe that no one is born free from the need for love. And this demonstrates that, although some modern schools of thought seek to do so, human beings cannot be defined as solely physical. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.
Developing compassion
Some of my friends have told me that, while love and compassion are marvelous and good, they are not really very relevant. Our world, they say, is not a place where such beliefs have much influence or power. They claim that anger and hatred are so much a part of human nature that humanity will always be dominated by them. I do not agree.
We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred-thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are news, compassionate activities are so much part of daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored.
So far I have been discussing mainly the mental benefits of compassion, but it contributes to good physical health as well, According to my personal experience, mental stability and physical well-being are directly related. Without question, anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness. On the other hand, if the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.
But of course it is also true that we all have an innate self-centeredness that inhibits our love for others. So, since we desire the true happiness that is brought about by only a calm mind, and since such peace of mind is brought about by only a compassionate attitude, how can we develop this? Obviously, it is not enough for us simply to think about how nice compassion is! We need to make a concerted effort to develop it; we must use all the events of our daily life to transform our thoughts and behavior.
First of all, we must be clear about what we mean by compassion. Many forms of compassionate feeling are mixed with desire and attachment. For instance, the love parents feel of their child is often strongly associated with their own emotional needs, so it is not fully compassionate. Again, in marriage, the love between husband and wife – particularly at the beginning, when each partner still may not know the other’s deeper character very well – depends more on attachment than genuine love. Our desire can be so strong that the person to whom we are attached appears to be good, when in fact he or she is very negative. In addition, we have a tendency to exaggerate small positive qualities. Thus when one partner’s attitude changes, the other partner is often disappointed and his or her attitude changes too. This is an indication that love has been motivated more by personal need than by genuine care for the other individual.
True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively.
Of course, developing this kind of compassion is not at all easy! As a start, let us consider the following facts:
Whether people are beautiful and friendly or unattractive and disruptive, ultimately they are human beings, just like oneself. Like oneself, they want happiness and do not want suffering. Furthermore, their right to overcome suffering and be happy is equal to one’s own. Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them. Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems. Nor is this wish selective; it applies equally to all. As long as they are human beings experiencing pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively.
Let me emphasize that it is within your power, given patience and time, to develop this kind of compassion. Of course, our self-centeredness, our distinctive attachment to the feeling of an independent, self-existent �I�, works fundamentally to inhibit our compassion. Indeed, true compassion can be experienced only when this type of self- grasping is eliminated. But this does not mean that we cannot start and make progress now.
How can we start
We should begin by removing the greatest hindrances to compassion: anger and hatred. As we all know, these are extremely powerful emotions and they can overwhelm our entire mind. Nevertheless, they can be controlled. If, however, they are not, these negative emotions will plague us – with no extra effort on their part! – and impede our quest for the happiness of a loving mind.
So as a start, it is useful to investigate whether or not anger is of value. Sometimes, when we are discouraged by a difficult situation, anger does seem helpful, appearing to bring with it more energy, confidence and determination.
Here, though, we must examine our mental state carefully. While itis true that anger brings extra energy, if we explore the nature of this energy, we discover that it is blind: we cannot be sure whether its result will be positive or negative. This is because anger eclipses the best part of our brain: its rationality. So the energy of anger is almost always unreliable. It can cause an immense amount of destructive, unfortunate behavior. Moreover, if anger increases to the extreme, one becomes like a mad person, acting in ways that are as damaging to oneself as they are to others.
It is possible, however, to develop an equally forceful but far more controlled energy with which to handle difficult situations.
This controlled energy comes not only from a compassionate attitude, but also from reason and patience. These are the most powerful antidotes to anger. Unfortunately, many people misjudge these qualities as signs of weakness. I believe the opposite to be true: that they are the true signs of inner strength. Compassion is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is very powerful. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable. Thus, to me, the arousal of anger is a direct sign of weakness.
So, when a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand, This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.
You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.
Thus, because the measures you employ have been calmly chosen, they will be more effective, more accurate and more forceful. Retaliation based on the blind energy of anger seldom hits the target.
Friends and enemies
I must emphasize again that merely thinking that compassion and reason and patience are good will not be enough to develop them. We must wait for difficulties to arise and then attempt to practice them.
And who creates such opportunities? Not our friends, of course, but our enemies. They are the ones who give us the most trouble, So if we truly wish to learn, we should consider enemies to be our best teacher!
For a person who cherishes compassion and love, the practice of tolerance is essential, and for that, an enemy is indispensable. So we should feel grateful to our enemies, for it is they who can best help us develop a tranquil mind! Also, itis often the case in both personal and public life, that with a change in circumstances, enemies become friends.
So anger and hatred are always harmful, and unless we train our minds and work to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind. Anger and hatred are our real enemies. These are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary enemies who appear intermittently throughout life.
Of course, it is natural and right that we all want friends. I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, you should be very altruistic! You should take good care of others, be concerned for their welfare, help them, serve them, make more friends, make more smiles, The result? When you yourself need help, you find plenty of helpers! If, on the other hand, you neglect the happiness of others, in the long term you will be the loser. And is friendship produced through quarrels and anger, jealousy and intense competitiveness? I do not think so. Only affection brings us genuine close friends.
In today’s materialistic society, if you have money and power, you seem to have many friends. But they are not friends of yours; they are the friends of your money and power. When you lose your wealth and influence, you will find it very difficult to track these people down.
The trouble is that when things in the world go well for us, we become confident that we can manage by ourselves and feel we do not need friends, but as our status and health decline, we quickly realize how wrong we were. That is the moment when we learn who is really helpful and who is completely useless. So to prepare for that moment, to make genuine friends who will help us when the need arises, we ourselves must cultivate altruism!
Though sometimes people laugh when I say it, I myself always want more friends. I love smiles. Because of this I have the problem of knowing how to make more friends and how to get more smiles, in particular, genuine smiles. For there are many kinds of smile, such as sarcastic, artificial or diplomatic smiles. Many smiles produce no feeling of satisfaction, and sometimes they can even create suspicion or fear, can’t they? But a genuine smile really gives us a feeling of freshness and is, I believe, unique to human beings. If these are the smiles we want, then we ourselves must create the reasons for them to appear.
Compassion and the world
In conclusion, I would like briefly to expand my thoughts beyond the topic of this short piece and make a wider point: individual happiness can contribute in a profound and effective way to the overall improvement of our entire human community.
Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. It is foolish to dwell on external differences, because our basic natures are the same.
Ultimately, humanity is one and this small planet is our only home, If we are to protect this home of ours, each of us needs to experience a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another.
If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self- worth and confidence, and there is no need to be fearful of others.
I believe that at every level of society – familial, tribal, national and international – the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities.
I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.
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Javi / June 27, 2014
Another lunatic, another god man.
Passa has Ian Paisley and K Sharma the Chancellor of Belfast University, Commenwealth- the shills. Because only they saw!
All religious crusaders terrorist wielding AK45’s in different ways grabbing land murdering and confiscating wealth of other ethnic folk.
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Suranimala / June 26, 2014
A Mara’s apologist quoting scriptures. He will be duly rewarded After all this is a paradise for brown nosed people.
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R.Dias / June 26, 2014
Hik…hik..hik…
This man is drawing parallels …
He compares the impossible done by Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus
to the impossibles that ‘ our great President ‘ striving at…
Lord Budhdha or Lord Jesus
never lied to people…steal…kill…set people against one another
they did not confuse people….
This man is saying that ‘his great President ‘ is trying to achieve
the status of what Lord Buddha …Lord Jesus archived by doing
just the opposite….!!!!!!
SATAN WAS DEFEATED BY LORD JESUS ….
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ramona therese fernando / June 27, 2014
Beuatiful!……….but as per Rajapakse………..to wave that magic wand, he will have to have spend a lot more time pressuring chakra points.
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