To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more
useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else.
~ Dalai Lama ~
~ Dalai Lama ~
NOW IS TIME FOR SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS
So what can "we" do when tragedy strikes in another place? We see photos but it really does not touch our personal lives. We feel hopeless so maybe just turn off the tv, or whisper to a loved one that it is so sad, I am glad you are safe. And then we go about our business.
But is that enough? Can we do more?
Perhaps one way to contribute to the relief of suffering is to look at our own lives and offer a healing to someone. The healing can come with a long-awaited phone call or letter, holding back a criticism, offering an encouragement, a visit to a lonely person... we know what it is in our lives that we have been holding back on - perhaps too busy or too involved in "self" - just a simple offering of generosity, of kindness, of love will help not only the recipient, but all of us.
~ Dalai Lama ~
So what can "we" do when tragedy strikes in another place? We see photos but it really does not touch our personal lives. We feel hopeless so maybe just turn off the tv, or whisper to a loved one that it is so sad, I am glad you are safe. And then we go about our business.
But is that enough? Can we do more?
Perhaps one way to contribute to the relief of suffering is to look at our own lives and offer a healing to someone. The healing can come with a long-awaited phone call or letter, holding back a criticism, offering an encouragement, a visit to a lonely person... we know what it is in our lives that we have been holding back on - perhaps too busy or too involved in "self" - just a simple offering of generosity, of kindness, of love will help not only the recipient, but all of us.
~ Dalai Lama ~
Dear monks..
be mindful of what consists of our body…
Those are.. hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, liver, blood vessels, bones, cartilages, gall bladder, kidneys, heart, lungs, intestines, stomach, stools, urine, blood, sweat, saliva, brain, mucus, tears, and fat..
Being mindful of these, help u to understand the true nature of our body, and that helps to dissolve the myth of ego…
be mindful of what consists of our body…
Those are.. hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, liver, blood vessels, bones, cartilages, gall bladder, kidneys, heart, lungs, intestines, stomach, stools, urine, blood, sweat, saliva, brain, mucus, tears, and fat..
Being mindful of these, help u to understand the true nature of our body, and that helps to dissolve the myth of ego…
"The results of karma cannot be known by thought, and so
should not be speculated about. Thus, thinking, one would come to distraction
and distress. "Therefore, Ananda, do not be the judge of people; do not
make assumptions about others. A person is destroyed by holding judgments about
others."
If a man's mind becomes pure, his surroundings will also
become pure.
Love is characterized as promoting the welfare of others. Its
function is to desire welfare. It is manifested as the removal of annoyance.
Its proximate cause is seeing the loveable-ness in beings. It succeeds when it
makes ill-will subside, and it fails when it gives rise to selfish affection.
Compassion is characterized as promoting the removal of others' suffering. Its function is not bearing others' suffering. It is manifested as kindness. Its proximate cause is seeing helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering. It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside, and it fails when it gives rise to sorrow.
Sympathetic joy is characterized as joy in the success of others. Its function is being free from envy. It is manifested as the elimination of aversion. Its proximate cause is seeing other beings' success. It succeeds when it makes aversion subside, and it fails when it gives rise to merriment.
Equanimity is characterized as promoting equipoise towards beings. Its function is to see the equality in beings. It is manifested as quieting like and dislike. Its proximate cause is seeing the ownership of deeds thus:
"Beings are heirs to their deeds. Whose, if not theirs, is the choice by which they will become happy, or will be free from suffering, or will not fall away from the success they have reached?" It succeeds when it makes like and dislike subside, and it fails when it gives rise to the indifference of ignorance based on the household life.
~ Visuddhimagga 318
Compassion is characterized as promoting the removal of others' suffering. Its function is not bearing others' suffering. It is manifested as kindness. Its proximate cause is seeing helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering. It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside, and it fails when it gives rise to sorrow.
Sympathetic joy is characterized as joy in the success of others. Its function is being free from envy. It is manifested as the elimination of aversion. Its proximate cause is seeing other beings' success. It succeeds when it makes aversion subside, and it fails when it gives rise to merriment.
Equanimity is characterized as promoting equipoise towards beings. Its function is to see the equality in beings. It is manifested as quieting like and dislike. Its proximate cause is seeing the ownership of deeds thus:
"Beings are heirs to their deeds. Whose, if not theirs, is the choice by which they will become happy, or will be free from suffering, or will not fall away from the success they have reached?" It succeeds when it makes like and dislike subside, and it fails when it gives rise to the indifference of ignorance based on the household life.
~ Visuddhimagga 318
