Mind is the forerunner of all good and evil states
á
ááášáááš áĄáąááŹáášá¸áĄáááŻá¸ áĄáąáťááĄáąááĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸á áąáá˝ááąáťáá¸áťáá
ášáááš
How to live a worry-free life
áąááŹáááášá¸áąáḠáąááááŻáášáąáá¸
Some people have a very shallow concept of the world and of human existence. They do not know what constitutes this world in reality. When the Buddha said there is neither a beginning nor an end to the world system, people could not understand what he meant. This was because they could not see that the world is really within us. If you examine the whole world and compare it with your body, you can understand that the same elements and energies and conditions co-exist so called world and in our body. The only difference is that you have a mind to think and comprehend the nature of existence.
áá°áĄááşááłááá˛á ááááŹáąááŹááá˛á ááášááášáá˛áˇ áĄáťááášááąááŹááŹá¸á áá°ááááá˛á ááášááášáá˛áˇ áĄáťááášááąááŹááŹá¸áᏠáĄááźááš áąááŤáˇáąááŤáˇááşáášááşáášáááŻáášááŤááášá áá°áááŻááᏠááááŹáąááŹáááᯠááŹáá˛áááźá˛áá áášá¸ááŹá¸ááášáááŻáᏠáĄáá˝áášááááš ááąááŹááąááŤáášážáááŤáá°á¸á áťááášááŻááśá áąááŹáážááŽá¸áá˛á áá˛áźáá áášá¸ááśáŻáᏠáĄá ááá˝ááááᯠáĄááśáŻá¸ááášá¸ááá˝ááááŻá áááášááąááŹášáá°áá˛áˇáĄá፠áá°áąááźáᏠááŻááśá áááŻáááŻááşáášááᯠááąááŹááąááŤáášážáááŤá ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇáá˛áááŻáąááŹáˇ ááááŹáąááŹááááŻáᏠáá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áááśáŹáĄááźáášá¸áá˝áŹ áá˝áááášáááŻááŹááᯠáá°áááŻá ááťááášáááŻáášážááááŻáááŤá áááášáááŻá áąááŹáážááŽá¸áá ášááŻááśáŻá¸ááᯠá á°á¸á áášá¸áąááˇááŹáťááŽá¸ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áááŻáášáááśáŹáá˛á ááááášá¸áá˝áĽášážááášáˇáááš ááááŹáąááŹááááŻá áąáááá˛áˇáĄááŹáá˛á áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áááŻáášáááśáŹáá˛á áĄááŹáąááźáᏠáá°ááŽáá˛áˇ ááŹáášááąááŹáąááźá á áźáášá¸áĄáášáąááźá áĄáąáťááąááąááź áĄáá°ááášáá˝ááąáááášáááŻáᏠáááš áááťááášáááŻáášááŤááášá ááźá˛áťááŹá¸ááŹáááŻáááŻá ááášáˇáá˝áŹ ááááąááŹáááŹá¸ááᯠá áĽášá áŹá¸ááŹá¸ááášáááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄááá ááášáá˝ááťááášá¸áᲠáťáá ášááŤááášá
The â extra-ordinary mental energy that human beings experience cannot be found in other living beings. However, this mental energy must be trained and âcontrolled. Otherwise the human mind can become the main cause for all the problems in the world. When a mind is properly trained harmony, understandingâ and peace prevail. Academic knowledge without mental development is more dangerous than ignorance. Knowledge without spiritual development can be abused for destructive purposes.
áá°áąááźáá˝áŹáá˝ááąááá˛áˇ ááŹááášááášáá°á¸áťááŹá¸ááášáˇ áĄááá ááášáááŻáášáᏠá áźáášá¸áĄáášááᯠáĄáťááŹá¸ áááąááŤáąááźááśáá˝áŹ ááąááźááááŻáášááŤáá°á¸á ááŤáąáááášáˇ áᎠáĄááá ááášáááŻáášáᏠá áźáášá¸áĄáášááᯠáąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áááášá áááášá¸ááşáłáášáááŤááášá áĄá˛áááŻáááŻáášáááš áá°áá ááášáᏠááááŹážááŽá¸áá˛áá˝áŹ áťáá ášáąááááá˝áş áťááááŹáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸áá˛á áĄááá áĄáąážááŹáášá¸ááášá¸ áťáá ášááźáŹá¸áááŻáášááŤááášá á ááášááᯠáá˝áášáá˝áášááášáááš áąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áá˛áˇáĄá፠á ááášááąááŹááŹá¸ááŽááźáášáťááášá¸á ááŹá¸ááášáááá˝ááťááášá¸á áżáááášá¸ááşáášá¸áťááášá¸áąááź áťáá ášáąááááŹááŤááášá á ááášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠááźáśááżáááłá¸ááááá˝ááááš ááášáá°ááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááášáááŹáᏠááááááášááŹáááš áááŻáťááŽá¸ áĄáá˛ááŹáášááşáŹá¸ááŤááášá á ááášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠááźáśááťáááłá¸áááŻá¸ááášááááá˝ááá˛áˇ áĄááášáááŹááᯠáĄááşáášááąáᏠááášááźáášááşáášáąááźáĄááźááš áĄááźá˛ááśáŻá¸á áŹá¸ááŻáášáááŻáášááŤááášá
Everything is subjected to the universal law of impermanence. It is the nature of all existing things. They deteriorate and disintegrate according to the same universal law. The combination of elements and energies and their existence together produce an illusion of objects, which are visible and tangible. We create the concept of solidity and permanence of them due to our delusion. The causes of their change are friction of the elements and energies. When a visible object disintegrates it is the dissolution of the elements and energies, which are compounded. This is a natural phenomenon and every component thing is conditioned in this way. There is no reason for us to regard this situation as a creation of a Divine being or that it is the result of punishment for a âprimordial crime.
áĄááŹááŹáᏠááťáá˛áá˛áˇ áąááŹááĽááąááááᯠááŹááśáááŤááášá ááŤáᏠáá˝ááąááá˛áˇ áĄááŹáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸áá˛á ááášáááŻááš áááŹááťáá ášááŤááášá áĄááŹááŹáᏠáá°ááŽáá˛áˇ áąááŹááĽááąáááĄáááŻáášá¸ áĄáąáťááąááąááź áááŻááźáášá¸áżááŽá¸ ááşáášááŽá¸ááźáŹá¸áááŹááŤá ááŹáášáááŹááąááźá á áźáášá¸áĄáášáąááź áĄá áŻáĄáąááŤáášá¸áá˛á áĄáá°áááź áťáá ášááášáąááááᏠááşáášááśáŻá¸áá˛á áťááášáááŻáášáťááŽá¸ áĄááášáááŻáášáťááášáá˝ááá˛áˇ áĄááŹáááłáłáąááźáĄáąáá áĄááášáĄáťáááš áá˝áŹá¸ááźáášá¸áá áťáá ášáąáááąá ááŤááášá áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááᏠáąááŹáááśáŻá¸áááášá¸ááśáááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ áĄááŹáááłáłáąááźáĄáąáá áááŻáášááśáˇááášá áżáá˛ááášáááŻáá˛áˇ áĄáá°áĄá áťáá ášáąáááąá ááŤááášá áąáťááŹáášá¸áá˛ááźáŹá¸ááťááášá¸áá˛á áĄáąáťáááśáĄáąážááŹáášá¸áąááźááąááŹáˇ ááŹáášáááŹááąááźá á áźáášá¸áĄáášáąááź ááźáášáááŻáášáťááášá¸áᲠáťáá ášááŤááášá ááşáášá ááá˛á áťááášááá˛áˇ áĄááŹáá ášáᯠáĄá ááášá ááášáĄâááááŹáááᏠááźá˛ááźáŹá¸ááŹáᏠáąááŤáášá¸á áŻááŹá¸áá˛áˇ ááŹáášáááŹááąááźá á áźáášá¸áĄáášáąááź áťáááłááźá˛áťááášá¸ááŤá áááŹááťáá ášá áĽášáá˛á áĄá ááášáĄáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášá¸áᏠááŽááášá¸áá˛á áťááłáťááášá áŽááś ááśáááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááŽáĄáąáťááąáááᯠááŻááŹá¸áááášá ááášááŽá¸ááŹáááŻá áá˝áášáá°á áᏠáĄáąážááŹáášá¸ááá˝áááŤáá°á¸á áááŻááááŻááš ááŤáᏠááááŹáĽáŽá¸á áťáá ášáááĄááźááš áĄáťáá ášáąáá¸ááśááá˛áˇ áĄááşááłá¸ááášáááŻá áá˝áášáá°á ááŹáĄáąážááŹáášá¸ááá˝áááŤáá°á¸á
Buddhists regard this as a natural phenomenon which is the result of change and impermanence. The unsatisfactoriness of our life begins when we cling to the idea that permanence is possible. But others explain this in terms of a Divine force which is called 'God's will.' Unlike the teachings of science religion teaches that invisible energies can affect our lives. Cosmic forces also influence the elements and energies within and around our physical body. Some of our physical and mental problems are due to their influence. Some other unknown forces also disturb our life which primitive people regard as evil spirits.
ááŻááśááŹááŹááášáąááźááąááŹáˇ áąáťááŹáášá¸áá˛áťááášá¸á ááżáá˛áťááášá¸áá˛á áĄááşááłá¸ááášáťáá ášáá˛áˇ áááŹááťáá ášá áĽášáááŻá áá˝áášáá°ááŤááášá áżáá˛áťááášá¸áááŻáᏠáťáá ášáááŻáášááášáááŻáá˛áˇ ááśáá°ááşááš á ááášáá˛áá˝áŹá áźá˛ááŹááŹáá˝ áááá˛áááášááášáťááŽá¸ áąááşááášááźáášááá˝ááá áĄá áťááłááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ áĄáťááŹá¸ááŹááŹáąááźá ááŤááᯠááŻááŹá¸áááášáá˛á áĄáááŻáááľáąáááá˛áˇ áĄáśáˇááźáášáĄá áźáášá¸áąážááŹáášáˇáááŻá áá˝áášá¸áťáážáááŤááášá áááá¸áśáááŻáášáᏠááášááášá¸á áŹáąááźáá˛á ááźá˛ááźá˛áżááŽá¸ ááťááášááá˛áˇ á áźáášá¸áĄáŹá¸áąááźá ááášáá˝ááąááźáĄáąáá áĄá áźáášá¸áťáááŹáááŻá ááŹááŹáąáá¸á ááášážááŹá¸ááŤááášá á ážááŹáá áŹáááŻáášáᏠáĄáášáĄáŹá¸á áŻáąááźáááášá¸ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá áááŻáášáááśáŹáĄááźáášá¸áá˛á áĄááŽá¸áá ášáááŻáášá ááŹáášáááŹááąááźá á áźáášá¸áĄáášáąááźáĄáąáá áááášá¸áááŻá¸ááŤááášá áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááá˛á ááŻáášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášááŹá á ááášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠáťááááŹáĄááşááłááᏠáĄá˛ááŽáĄáášáĄáŹá¸á áŻáąááźáá˛á áááášá¸áááŻá¸áááąážááŹáášáˇ áąáááąááŤáášááŹááŹááŤá ááąááŹáášá¸áááŻá¸ááŤá¸áĄáťáá áš áąáá˝á¸áąááášáá°áąááźá áá˝áášáá°áá˛áˇ áĄáťááŹá¸ áĄááášááááá˛áˇ á áźáášá¸áĄáŹá¸áĄááşááłááááášá¸ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááááᯠáĄáąáá˝áŹáášáˇáĄáá˝áášáąáá¸ááŤááášá
Fear, imagination, suspicion and superstitious ideas always feed on such beliefs to disturb their minds. When the mind is disturbed, they suffer from physical problems also. However, if our minds are well-trained and developed understanding we can prevent many of these problems. This is why the Buddha says mind is the forerunner of all good and evil states. They are mind-made.
á ááŻá¸áááášážááŹáášááášáááá á ááášáá°á¸ááášáťááášááá ááśááááášááá áĄá áźá˛áááŽá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáá°áĄááąááźáᏠá ááášááᯠáĄáąáá˝áŹáášáˇáĄáá˝áášáąáá¸ááášáˇ áĄá˛ááŽááśáŻážááášáááąááźááᯠáĄáżáᲠáĄá áŹáąáá˝áźá¸áąáá¸ááŤááášá á ááášáĄáąáá˝áŹáášáˇáĄáá˝ááš áťáá ášááŹáá˛áˇáĄá፠ááŻáášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠáťááááŹáąááźááąáááášá¸ ááášá¸áá˛ááŻááĄááśá áŹá¸ááŹáááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ á ááášááᯠáąááŹáášá¸áąááŹáášá¸ áąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áááŻá áĄáááĄáťáááš ááźáśááťáááłá¸áááŻá¸ááášááŹááášáąááŹáˇ áĄá˛ááŽáťááááŹáąááŤáášá¸ááşáŹá¸á áźáŹááᯠááŹá¸ááŽá¸áááŻáášááŤááášá ááŤáąážááŹáášáˇ áťááášááŻááśá á ááášáᏠáąááŹáášá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáąáťááąáá ááąááŹáášá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáąáťááąá áĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸áá˛á áąáá˝ááąááŹáášáťáá ášááášá áĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸áᏠá ááášáąážááŹáášáˇáťáá ášááášáááŻá áááášááąááŹášáá°ááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá
Religious conflict
ááŹááŹáąáḠááááááĄ
Many of our social problems are also extended into religious conflicts. In fact, religion is the cause of these conflicts. The purpose of religion is to guide mankind to develop unity and a harmonious life and to cultivate humane qualities. Today however, religion is being used to discriminate against other religions and to develop jealousy, discrimination and hostility. Actually human beings are not using religion to maintain peace but to create superiority or inferiority feelings. This hostile attitude and unhealthy religious competition have even created bloodshed in many parts of the world.
áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááášáááŻáášááá˛áˇ áá°áááąáá¸áťáááᏠáĄááşáŹá¸á áŻáᏠááŹááŹáąáḠááááááĄáąááźáĄáťáá áš ááşá˛áááŹá¸ááźáŹá¸ááŤááášá áĄáá˝áášáąááŹáˇ ááŹááŹáááŹá¸áᏠááŽááááááĄáąááź áťáá ášáąáááąá áá˛áˇ áĄáąážááŹáášá¸ááášá¸ááŤá ááŹááŹáąáá¸áá˛á ááášááźáášááşáášáᏠá áášá¸ááśáŻá¸ááŽáŤáźáášáááá˝áášáˇ ááášáˇáťááášáá˛áˇ áááĄáťáá áš áááŻá¸áťáá˝áášáˇáżááŽá¸ áá°ááŹá¸ááášáá˛áˇ áĄááášáĄááşáášá¸áąááź áťááłá áŻááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáąáá¸áááš áťáá ášááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ ááŽáąááášáá˝áŹáąááŹáˇ áĄáťááŹá¸ááŹááŹáąááźááᯠáá˝ááášááşáżááŽá¸ áááŹáááŻááá ááźá˛áťááŹá¸ááášááśááá ááášáááŻáááąááź áááŻá¸ááźáŹá¸ááŹáááš ááŹááŹáąáá¸ááᯠáĄááśáŻá¸ááşáąáážáááŤááášá áááášáąááŹáˇ áá°áąááźáᏠáťáááášá¸ááşáášá¸áąáá¸ááᯠáááášá¸áááášá¸áááš ááŹááŹáąáá¸ááᯠáĄááśáŻá¸áťááłáąáááŹáááŻáášáá˛á ááŹááźáášááášáááŻáá˛áˇ ááśá áŹá¸ááşáášáá˛á áááášááášááááᯠááášááŽá¸áááŻá áĄááśáŻá¸áťááłáąáážáááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá áᎠááášáááŻáá˛áˇ á ááášááąááŹááŹá¸áá˛á áąááŹáášáťááášáá˛áˇ ááŹááŹáąáá¸áżáááłáášáááŻáášáááąááźáᏠááááŹáˇáąáááŹáĄáąááŹášááşáŹá¸áá˝áŹ áąááąááşááášááŹááááąááź áťáá ášáąáááąá áá˛áˇáťááŽá¸ áťáá ášááŤááášá
Religious leaders have been guilty of praising their own beliefs as part of their valuable religious customs and traditions, while ridiculing other religious beliefs and traditions. Some others use religions for material gain, political power, self- glorification and worldly power. Religion itself has become a big problem. Those who use religion for worldly material gain also face fear, worry, insecurity, enmity and difficulty of maintainingâ their authority or power. This clearly shows that the accumulation of worldly power is not the solution to overcome human problems.
ááŹááŹáąáá¸áąááŤáášá¸áąááŹáášá¸ááşáŹá¸áᏠáĄáťááŹá¸ááŹááŹáá˛á ááśáŻážááášááşáášáąááźá áááŻá¸ááŹááąááˇáąááźááᯠáąáá˝áŹáášáąáťááŹáášááąááŹášáťááŽá¸ áá°áááŻááááŻáášáááŻááš ááśáŻážááášáááąááźáááŻáᏠááášáááŻá¸áá˝ááá˛áˇ ááŹááŹáąáá¸ááąááˇááśáŻá¸á áśáá˛á áááŻá¸ááŹáĄá áĽášáᏠáááĄáťáá áš ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ááášá¸ááźáášáˇááášá¸ áĄáťáá ášááşá´á¸ááźáášáá˛áˇážáááŤááášá áĄááşááłáááąááŹáˇ ááŻáášáááłáłáá áĽáášá¸ ááá˝ááąáá¸á áááŻáášááśáąáḠáĄáŹááŹááá˝ááąáá¸á áááŻáášáˇáááŻáášááᯠáĄáááášá¸ááášáąáá¸á áąááŹááŽá áźáášá¸áĄáŹá¸ ááá˝ááąáá¸áĄááźááš ááŹááŹáááŹá¸áąááźááᯠáĄááśáŻá¸ááşážáááášá ááŤáąážááŹáášáˇ ááŹááŹáąáá¸áᏠáĄáááŻááᯠážááŽá¸ááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áťááááŹáá ášáááš áťáá ášááźáŹá¸áááŹááŤá ááŹááŹáąáá¸ááᯠáąááŹááŽááŻáášáááłáłáá áĽáášá¸ ááá˝ááąáá¸áĄááźááš áĄááśáŻá¸ááşáá°áąááźáᏠáąážááŹáášááśáźáááá á ááŻá¸áááášááá áááášáťááŹáááśáŻááá ááášáááŻáááąááźáá˛á ááášáááŻáášáááááŻá áá°áááŻáááá˝áááŹá¸áá˛áˇ ááŹáá°á¸áĄáŹáᏠááŤááŤááᯠááŻáášáááŻáášááŹá¸áááš áááášá¸áááášá¸ááŹáá˝áŹááášá¸ áĄááášáĄáá˛áá˛á ááášáááŻáášážááááŤááášá ááŤáᏠáąááŹáᎠáĄáŹááŹááŤááŤááᯠá áŻáąá áŹáášá¸áťááášá¸á áá°ááá áťááááŹáąááźááᯠáąááşáŹášáááŹá¸áááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄáąáťááááŻáášáá°á¸áááŻá áá˝áášá¸áá˝áášá¸ááášá¸ááášá¸ áąááŹášáťáááŹááŤáá˛á
Some people concentrate only on wealth. Wealth can help only to overcome certain minor problems. Though worldly happiness, sensual pleasure can be gained through wealth, money cannot eradicate natural problems. Religious teachers, philosophers, great thinkers and rationalists pointed out the nature of human weaknesses and how to overcome them. However the ordinary people regard them as mere theories and not as solutions to their problems.
áá°áĄááşááłá¸ááąááŹáˇ áĽá áĽáŹáááááŻáᏠáĄáŹááśáŻá ááŻáášážáááášá áĽá áĽáŹáááᏠáĄááášá¸ááášáąáᏠáĄáąáá¸á áŹá¸ áťááááŹáąáá¸áąááźáááŻáᏠáąááşáŹášáááŹá¸áááŻáášáąáĄáŹááš áĄáá°ááŽáááŹááŤá áąááŹááŽááşáášá¸ááŹáá˛á áĄáŹááśáŻááśá áŹá¸ááááᯠáĽá áĽáŹááááąá ááá˝ááááŻáášáąáááášáˇ áááŹááĄáąááşáŹáášáąáááąááŤáášááŹáá˛áˇ áťááááŹáąááźááᯠáąááźáá˛á ááąáťááá˝áášá¸áááŻáášááŤáá°á¸á ááŹááŹáąáá¸áááŹááşáŹá¸á ááááááŹáá˝áášááşáŹá¸á áąááşáŹášážááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáąááźá¸áĄáąáááááŹáá˝áášááşáŹá¸á ááášáťááášááááᯠáĽáŽá¸á áŹá¸áąáá¸áá°ááşáŹá¸á áá°ááŹá¸áąááźáá˛á áĄáŹá¸ááášá¸ááşááš áĄááşáłáá¸áĄá áŹá¸áąááźáá˛á ááášá¸áááŻáááᯠááášáááŻáąááşáŹášáááŹá¸áááášáááŻáᏠáŤááášáťááá˛áˇážáááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ ááŹááášáá°áąááźá áĄá˛ááŽááášá¸áŤááášáááąááźááᯠááášáťááášááşáášááŻáᏠáá˝áášáá°áťááŽá¸ áťááááŹáąáťááá˝áášá¸ááášá¸áąááźáááŻá ááá°ááá˛áˇážáááŤáá°á¸á
@claye