Many people, including my family and students, complain that they're tired.
Yet, they're not doing anything about it. And keep hanging/clinging on.
If your loved one is gasping for breath next to you,
Would you still be thinking about Toto? Car? House? Money? Why the shares haven't risen? How much you are making or losing from your shares?
Or, if the doctor tells you you have only a week to live, would you still be concerned or worried about work? Your projects? Deadlines to your boss?
Would you still be working overtime (OT)?
Funny more and more people are experiencing terminal, or life-threatening illnesses (eg. cancer, heart attacks etc), or illnesses of certain gravity (eg. high blood pressure, stomach ulcers etc),
Yet they're not learning from the lessons Life is teaching them.
They continue living in the same way as before, some only taking remedial actions such as trying out a new or different diet - so called 'fire fighting'.
And not making changes to their lives, how they live their lives, their attitudes and mindsets - the root of the problem. The Real stuff.
It's like you earn from the right, and give it all to the doctor, or someone else, on the left.
What's the point?
Be Content.
Live Simply.
Be Happy.
Have, have. Don't have, don't have;
Never mind. It doesn't matter. It's not the end of the world.
How much does a person really need?
How many clothes do you wear in a day?
How many cars can you drive at one time?
I sometimes say this in class :
"Be Happy and satisfied when you have something.
Be Happy and Content even if you don't have.
With no longing and no desire, you can and you will attain Peace."
A student once asked me, "Why is the weather getting hotter? Is it because of global warming? Why is the world heating up? The weather is getting crazy ........"
I smiled. I didn't answer her.
Cos' the reason the weather is getting crazy is because Humans are getting 'crazy'.
And, the reason the Earth is heating up is because Humans are 'heating' up.
Burning from the Fires of Passion :
- Passions of Lust;
- Passions of Physical wants and material gains (Greed and Power);
- Passions of Emotions - Anger, Hate; and
- Passions of the 5 senses - Sensory Pleasures,
And drowning themselves in it (whenever it rains).
That's why the Earth is heating up.
That's why the weather is getting 'crazy'.
(Note ... To understand more on this subject, read
1) Competition and Consequences - Part 1 : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/06/competition-and-consequences.html,
Part 2 : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/06/competition-and-consequences-part-2.html
2) Earth - Do you know she's in pain? - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/02/earth.html
Everyone is chasing after that elusive dream of desires, and getting hot and dehydrated from from all that chase.
With all the running around, no wonder everyone is tired.
Everyone is putting off their (True) Happiness :
If I win the $1.5million Toto, I'll be happy.
If I get married, I'll be happy.
If I have children, I'll be happy.
When my children grow up, I'll be happy.
If I have that house or car or blah blah blah, I'll be happy ........
Really?
Why do we have to put off our happiness to a later, or a future date?
And, why do we have to depend on something external for our Happiness?
Why can't we be happy NOW?
Or rather, why don't we want to be Happy NOW?
We can, if we want to.
But we're attached to all the physical, material, external stuff.
Stuff which 'people' tells us, the day we get it, we'll be happy; we must get it so that we'll be happy.
Really?
I don't think so.
I think this is all brain-washing.
I think the more we're attached to these 'stuff', or to getting these 'stuff', the more we can't be happy.
Can't be free.
Cos' we only chain and lock ourselves up in craving and more craving.
Besides, what if that day never comes?
Has it ever occur to you that you may just drop dead and die the next moment?
I have.
Cos' its true.
We never really know, do we?
In Venerable Ajahn Chah's famous words, "The future is uncertain."
One thing I know for certain though is ........
"I will die. That's For sure."
PS : Knowing that we'll all die, and that's for sure, is it worthwhile holding on to grudges? To money? To possessions? To all the physical, material, external stuff?
Why not let go and be Free? NOW. .
.
"We can possess riches, but just remember ... NEVER allow the riches to possess us.".
.
"You are getting old.
Your body is like a withered leaf.
Your life has come to an end now.
To the presence of death you are setting out.
Be wise and develop your devotion and spiritual way of life.
Make an island unto yourself.
Strive without delay; Become wise.
Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilements,
You will no longer be subject to rebirth and decay."
- The Buddha
.
.
"From attachment springs grief;
From attachment springs fear;
For him who is wholly free from attachment,
There's no grief, much less fear.
From lust springs grief;
From lust springs fear;
For him who is wholly free from lust,
There's no grief, much less fear.
From craving springs grief;
From craving springs fear;
For him who is wholly free from craving,
There's no grief, much less fear."
- The Buddha
