Since it's Vesak week, I thought what better way to celebrate the occasion than to write/talk about the 1st Teaching of The Buddha - The Middle Way.
What is The Middle Way?
Imagine yourself driving in the middle lane of a 3-lane straight road, with cars on both sides.
Now, what happens if you steer your car too much, or all the way towards the left? (* sensual indulgence)
You may end up in a collision with the car on the left lane.
The result?
An accident (* Suffering to yourself and others).
Likewise, if you drive too much to the right (* self-mortification or torture), you'll also cause an accident by knocking the car on your right. (* again, suffering - to yourself and others).
So, what should you do?
All you need to do, or should do, is when you're too much to the left, move your steering wheel a bit to the right (* ie apply some self-restraint) so as to keep the car you're driving at the centre of your lane.
And, vice-versa (*ie apply a bit of loving-kindness, forgiveness and compassion to yourself and others when you're too overly critical, judgemental or torturing yourself.)
Unfortunately, many people do not maintain lane discipline.
They have a tendency to move too much to the left, and cause a collision,
Or, in order to avoid a collision, they quickly swerve their car to the right by turning the steering wheel too much and too fast.
So, they're constantly driving in a zig-zag manner, going from one extreme to another, and causing accidents.
Just like a pendulum bob : Always swinging from right to left, and left to right (*ie from one suffering to another), and never or rarely at the centre. (*ie never stopping to look, observe, analyse and investigate so as to understand).
Therefore, they're always suffering, or experiencing suffering.
Only very few can maintain lane discipline by staying at the centre,
Driving along The Middle Way -
The Buddha Way.
"This world is blind.
Here, there are few who clearly see.
As birds escaping from a net,
Few go to a blissful state."
- The Buddha
"When this world is ever ablaze,
Why the laughter, why the jubilation?
Shrouded in darkness,
Will you not seek The Light?"
- The Buddha
"Those who practise The Dhamma (Truth),
In line with the Well-Taught Dhamma (Truth),
They will cross over Death's Realm, so hard to transcend."
- The Buddha
"The Middle Way realised by The Tathagatha - Producing vision (Insight),
Producing realisation - Lead to Calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening,
To Nibbana."
- The Buddha (Discourse on Setting The Wheel o Dhamma in Motion).
.
I wish all an Enlightening Week.
Happy Vesak Day, Everyone!
With Metta
Maitre-light :)
