38- THE MIRACLE OF LIFE

 *Right Actions

In our life, the most difficult actions are the right ones. What are the right actions? The right actions are actually neither good nor bad.

When we do anything that we assume as good, we do it for our ego and our inferiority complex that wishes others would think that we are good and generous. When we do something that we assume as good, this means we are thinking about our ego in order to do it.

When we do anything that we assume as bad, this is because of our ego and selfishness. We do it to satisfy our self-importance or hatred. It can be seen as an act of revenge.

For that reason, when we take a Good or Bad action, it can bring disappointment or anxiety since the result is not what we expected.

In order to take the right actions, we have to release our Ego – the generous and selfish Ego - in the face of any task. And the most important thing is we should not wish to see the result for ourselves. If we wish to see the result, we do not live and act in this very moment and we give way to the calculating and reasoning mind to veil our clarity, preventing us from being at peace and stirring up our physical emotions and the sense organs to take control. When the sense organs take control of someone, that person will stop seeing. Once seeing and absorption is lost, our actions are influenced by emotions and feelings. All actions, speeches, and thoughts that come from emotions and feelings will only lead to mistakes, failure, and chaos.

Being put in a conflict situation between two sides, we should have the same attitude: our ego should be disregarded. If our ego is present, we would take one side or the other. When we lean to one side or the other one, we no longer clearly see what is Right or Wrong. If we are unable to see what is right and wrong we cannot solve it, therefore we are affected and tormented.

*Let’s accept

Our mind is only serene and complacent if we accept what we do and the consequences. We should accept both good and bad things that happen to us. Praise and criticism, love and hate, joy and grief, all are the same. We should not rejoice when good things happen, and should not be disappointed when bad things happen. Any decision once made should be carried out without regret, without fear of judgment or complaint.

While our mind is tranquil but our body is tired, it is because the body is not keeping the same pace as the mind. The body has five aggregates and six sense organs, which are still affected by the mundane life. This means our super-knowledge is yet strong. When our super-knowledge is strong and stable, our clairvoyance is always present. When the seeing and the light are at their highest strength, no darkness can overshadow or diminish them.

When our mind is tranquil, it is as steady as a mountain rock. When the small universe is tranquil, the great universe is also tranquil; even if the five elements are disturbed, they will eventually be stable. If our mind is not tranquil, the five elements will overpower us.

The more agitated things are around us, the better light they bring to our mind, like a mirror. Let’s accept this stage as a privilege that the High-above bestows upon us to challenge our learning level.

Without others, we cannot see ourselves, and if we cannot see ourselves we will not learn. The more defects we can see, the further we advance. Once we realize our own defect, we have to correct them and change them into strength in order to recover our spirituality.

We cannot understand people when they are happy. No savior had the idea of salvation based on happiness and wealth, but only in tears, illness, pain, and suffering. Strength and salvation come from the depth of mental or physical suffering. The depth of suffering opens the way to awakening and enlightenment. Happiness and wealth are the dark clouds that cover the worldly ones.

Those who are enlightened should be able to recognize the eternal and complete happiness embraced by Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

Why do we feel spiritually troubled? Once the logic of emptiness is realized, there is nothing else besides the light and mindfulness, in which we find the way in every instant with our breath as the force of life. The state of mindfulness and the force of life are eternal. They have to power to end all spiritual and physical challenges.

 To end

Desire always goes hand in hand with suffering. In every situation and time, we should be wise to see what we are doing in this situation and time, instead of trying to change this situation and time. If we want to solve and change a situation, our mind has to think, reason, calculate, and weigh the benefits and losses. All of these calculations will lead us to an impasse without exit. We feel anxious and fear that the outcome will be different than expected, to cause problems for us.

Religious practitioners should accept all situations in life, adapt to any situation and time, and learn in every minute and circumstance.

All dharma practices reside in every breath. The movement of the universe is dynamic; therefore all dharma practices should be carried out accordingly. Every reason or calculation is a stop before such movement. Our mind is occupied in its work and holds us back, so we are stuck in the face of all transformations in thousands of forms and conditions of the universe, of Providence, to receive the myriad of transformations of the universe which the mundane eyes and ears cannot see or hear.

I have been living but not actually living; I have been delivered but not actually delivered; I have been coming but not actually coming; I have been existing but not actually existing. I am of this world, but I am of thousands of forms and conditions. I should understand these thousands of forms and conditions to end all fear, doubt, judgment, prejudice about myself; only then I can also end all judgment and prejudice about others.

All sufferings derive from our struggle against all situations and time, since all things that happen or are about to happen will be different than expected. Let’s end all desires and imaginations so we can see the miracle of life and the union in the light between men and the universe.