The One Who Loves

The One Who Loves


In 'The 4 Types of People' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/11/4-types-of-people.html, I mentioned one group as

'Those who love themselves but not others,

Those who love others but not themselves,

Those who do not love themselves and others, and

Those who loves themselves and others."


Now, who are the people who truly love themselves,

And, who are the people who do NOT love themselves?

According to The Buddha, the people who love themselves are those who engage in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, and good mental conduct.

And those who do NOT love themselves are those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct and mental misconduct.

Why?

Because "Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as an enemy would act toward an enemy,

Thus they aren't dear to themselves eventhough they may say 'We are dear to ourselves'." - The Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya 3.4


When you engage in doing evil, whether in body, speech or mind,

The Kamma is yours to be borne.

Like I said in 'Kamma Kamma Part 1 : Oh No!' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2010/04/kamma-kamma-part-1-oh-no.html,

'The boomerang will find you. The boomerang will come back to you."

So, you may think you're doing evil to others,

But in Reality, you're doing TO yourself.

YOU bear the Kamma.

But those who love themselves,

They engage in doing alot of good -

Whether in body, speech or mind.

And in that way, they reap alot of merits which is for their benefit -

Be it now or future lives.

So do alot of good,

If you love yourself.




"Searching all directions with your awareness,

You find no one dearer than yourself.

In the same way,

Others are fiercely dear to themselves.

So you shouldn't harm others

If you love yourself."

- The Buddha, Udana 5:1




"If you hold yourself dear

Then don't fetter yourself with evil,

For happiness isn't easily gained

By one who commits a wrong-doing.

When seized by the End-maker

As you abandon the human state,

What's truly your own?

What do you take along when you go?

What follows behind you like a shadow that never leaves?

Both the merit and evil that you as a mortal perform here :

That's what's truly your own,

What you take along when you go;

That's what follows behind you like a shadow that never leaves.

So do what is admirable,

As an accumulation for the future life.

Deeds of merit are the support for beings

When they arise in the other world."

- The Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya 3.4




"Here he rejoices,

Hereafter he rejoices.

In both states, The well-doer rejoices.

He rejoices,

Exceedingly rejoices,

Perceiving the purity of his own deeds."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 16


* * * Read 'Mr CEO or The Cleaning Aunty' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/03/mr-ceo-or-cleaning-auntie.html