We, at the present age, are striving to reach a high standard of living. we also speak of people as being good and bad in every day conversation. The views differ as names do. Some are of the opinions that a wealthy person is worthy of respect and can be happy in this very life, but for some , it is only when in pure moral standards. Taking untruth for truth and truth for untruth, people go on and on in search of sensual pleasure. Some people try to create their smiles on the tears of others. As opposed to pleasure, what they get is but to pass sleepless nights with a restless mind. It is evident to all of us that in this day and age , with all his wealth and high position , there is still such person who lives in worry and anxiety and loses his bearings. Life wastes itself while we are struggling for what we believe . Thus , we become enslaved to the so-called pleasure daydreaming. It leaves us feeling low and craven and then we are at a loss what to do next. It is in fact due to our ignorance that instead of searching internal happiness, we are seeking after external things .
The way to peace and happiness is so simple. Tell the truth, act righteously, and live by doing what is right. Better is it to live as a cultured and respected person than to live as a wicked one. Even though we live in the hope of finding a life of luxury, dignity and an achievement of great praise, we are hardly very keen on living in accordance with form and function. Just as it is impossible to judge a book by merely looking at its cover, so also, it is to judge a person by his appearances and hot air. It does not matter what one does and preaches, but how much good will and loving kindness he puts into it that matters. And we should also take account of how much welfare it brings not for himself only but for others. In order not to be likened to a flower with no scent, let’s harness our wild desire and wish with dignity and strive to get what we need. It is said that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive.
Actually, it is only when one is satisfied with whatever he earns, trains his mind to become reasonable, and grows into social conscience that one enables to build a healthy and happy life. Our compassionate Buddha exhorted beings to guard and tame their minds because a well-guarded and tamed mind brings happiness. All we need to do is to practise what we preach and to keep on mutual understanding and inter-faith in association with one another. If not, poise, calm, serenity, and all being craved for are subject to fade away from our wearisome lives. It is necessary to note that the value of life and victories belong to the virtuous. The reason is that virtue is the first step to steer beings towards a meaningful and sensible condition. Here is a noteworthy story.
Once upon a time, the Buddha to be was paid due respect and adored by king and his entourages. The Buddha to be wondered and explored it. He, one day, took one kyat from a goldsmith without permission; he had committed the same way until he was caught . He, as taken to the presence of the king, saw snake-charmers on the road holding and wrapping poisonous snakes round their necks. On admonishing them not to do so, he was satirized and told that that snakes and not like him were cultured and very moral. Having understood the reason why he was honoured and called a valuable person, he uttered these words: “There, in this world, is only one good that is absolutely sublime virtue, that is beyond all comparisons. Take a look at this poisonous snake, it is not tortured and killed on account of morality ”.
Of course, it is he, a very moral person, who earns his bread and butter easily and becomes well-to-do, who is very well-known, who enables to speak out calmly and courageously in public, who is still mindful even at the time of his last breath, who is sure to be reborn in a certain happy abode after death. For those who are willing to live in this world peacefully and happily, and who aspire to be free from suffering, the time is just ripe to accumulate enough merit and to uplift morale and morality. One controlled in deeds, in words, in thoughts, has ability to get rid of both physical and mental problems as well as agitation. There is no doubt that a good life does not drop from the sky like rain. Harder than knowing is practising, but don’t give up easily. Why?. “Slow and steady wins the race” as the saying goes.
To break through perils of life, keep yourself in pure status, content yourself with what you have, generate loving-kindness to all. In fact, it is of vital importance to seek after inner peace and happiness, regardless of sensual pleasure. Never forget to take a good grasp of this great privilege. It is time for us to ponder to resolve what to do and how to do. It is crucially importance for all of us to understand what’s what if we really want to live peacefully and happily .
(My Article of S.P.S.U Magazin 2008)
The way to peace and happiness is so simple. Tell the truth, act righteously, and live by doing what is right. Better is it to live as a cultured and respected person than to live as a wicked one. Even though we live in the hope of finding a life of luxury, dignity and an achievement of great praise, we are hardly very keen on living in accordance with form and function. Just as it is impossible to judge a book by merely looking at its cover, so also, it is to judge a person by his appearances and hot air. It does not matter what one does and preaches, but how much good will and loving kindness he puts into it that matters. And we should also take account of how much welfare it brings not for himself only but for others. In order not to be likened to a flower with no scent, let’s harness our wild desire and wish with dignity and strive to get what we need. It is said that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive.
Actually, it is only when one is satisfied with whatever he earns, trains his mind to become reasonable, and grows into social conscience that one enables to build a healthy and happy life. Our compassionate Buddha exhorted beings to guard and tame their minds because a well-guarded and tamed mind brings happiness. All we need to do is to practise what we preach and to keep on mutual understanding and inter-faith in association with one another. If not, poise, calm, serenity, and all being craved for are subject to fade away from our wearisome lives. It is necessary to note that the value of life and victories belong to the virtuous. The reason is that virtue is the first step to steer beings towards a meaningful and sensible condition. Here is a noteworthy story.
Once upon a time, the Buddha to be was paid due respect and adored by king and his entourages. The Buddha to be wondered and explored it. He, one day, took one kyat from a goldsmith without permission; he had committed the same way until he was caught . He, as taken to the presence of the king, saw snake-charmers on the road holding and wrapping poisonous snakes round their necks. On admonishing them not to do so, he was satirized and told that that snakes and not like him were cultured and very moral. Having understood the reason why he was honoured and called a valuable person, he uttered these words: “There, in this world, is only one good that is absolutely sublime virtue, that is beyond all comparisons. Take a look at this poisonous snake, it is not tortured and killed on account of morality ”.
Of course, it is he, a very moral person, who earns his bread and butter easily and becomes well-to-do, who is very well-known, who enables to speak out calmly and courageously in public, who is still mindful even at the time of his last breath, who is sure to be reborn in a certain happy abode after death. For those who are willing to live in this world peacefully and happily, and who aspire to be free from suffering, the time is just ripe to accumulate enough merit and to uplift morale and morality. One controlled in deeds, in words, in thoughts, has ability to get rid of both physical and mental problems as well as agitation. There is no doubt that a good life does not drop from the sky like rain. Harder than knowing is practising, but don’t give up easily. Why?. “Slow and steady wins the race” as the saying goes.
To break through perils of life, keep yourself in pure status, content yourself with what you have, generate loving-kindness to all. In fact, it is of vital importance to seek after inner peace and happiness, regardless of sensual pleasure. Never forget to take a good grasp of this great privilege. It is time for us to ponder to resolve what to do and how to do. It is crucially importance for all of us to understand what’s what if we really want to live peacefully and happily .
(My Article of S.P.S.U Magazin 2008)
Ashin sumana (kyauk phyu)
