Visakha Bucha: It’s All About Love

 

The return of Visakha Bucha day this year is quite timely.   It provides us the much needed opportunity to stop and reflect about life.  Maybe the story behind Visakha Bucha Day will enable us to see things in perspective so that the hatred and anger we can feel in the air among different factions will eventually fade away.

 

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

The reason the author believes so is because, if we look into the very heart of Visakha Bucha, which is arguably the most important of Buddhist holidays, we will see that it is all about love.  Surprised? Read on and discover why Visakha Bucha should also be remembered in association with love.

First, let us ask ourselves what we know about Visakha Bucha.

Textbook interpretation

If we had gone to a school that teaches the common curriculum from the Thai Education Ministry, we would probably have been taught that Visakha Bucha falls on the full moon of the sixth lunar month and that it commemorates the dates of Lord Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinibbhana.

Such is the textbook version of the meaning of Visakha Bucha. Unfortunately for most of us, this version remains the only source of our interpretation of this most important Buddhist holiday.

But is there any other interpretation of Visakha Bucha besides knowing what date it falls on or what occasion it commemorates? Certainly.   And the key is to get to know more about the man behind the holiday.

The man behind the holiday

If we are to be honest with ourselves, we will have to admit that we Thais seem to take the arrival of Lord Buddha for granted. In a religion known for its understanding of reincarnation and the law of cause and effect, isn't it a bit odd to think that the birth of Buddha is something that just happened?

Of course, we may have heard of the last 10 lives as a human being of Lord Buddha, known as jataka.   The 10th reincarnation, Phra Vessantara, is perhaps the best known.  It depicts the life of Prince Vessantara who gave away all his possessions as he was perfecting the dana parami, or the virtue of unconditional, selfless giving.

The 10 jataka depict the perfection of different virtues which in turn help purify one's karma, enabling one to reach Enlightenment.

But, as mentioned earlier, the effort to perfect the 10 Perfections did not just ''happen.''   For a karma to bear fruit, it has to start with an intention.   Therefore, there had to be a beginning somewhere where a determined decision was first made.   When was it?   And, more importantly, who was it?

The man behind the decision

Before we learned who the person was and the whole story behind it, let us first contemplate this metaphor.

Imagine you are standing at an exit of a burning house.   In fact, you already feel the intense heat of the scorching flames on your body.   The next second you realize that your hair is now on fire.   You know that all you have to do is to dash out the door with all your might and you will be saved.

Yet, you hear crying voices behind. You look back.   There, on the ground floor behind you, are people engulfed in flames, howling eerily for help.   They could not make it out by themselves either because their limbs are trapped or they could not open their eyes due to the extreme heat.   You know that, being not too far from the exit themselves, they, too, could be saved.

What would you do?

This was exactly what happened to an ascetic named Sumeth. Born during the time of another Buddha called Dipankara, Sumeth realized that life is in fact a series of sufferings, not unlike being in a burning house.   That was why he left his comfortable, worldly life to devote himself to rigorous training to try to reach the end of suffering.

One day, as he passed by one town, he heard that Dipankara Buddha was coming.   Elated, he dedicated himself to help the townsmen build a road to welcome the Buddha.   Sumeth knew well that, like many people during his time, if he got to meet the Buddha and devote himself as a disciple, he would soon become Enlightened, reaching the end of all his sufferings.

Yet, as Dipankara Buddha was approaching, the road was still unfinished, leaving a distance of around a body's length that was wet and full of mud and dirt.   Throwing himself down, Sumeth the ascetic bravely invited Dipankara Buddha and his Enlightened disciples, numbering in the thousands, to walk on his back to the other side of the road so that the mud would not soil their feet and robes.

As Dipankara Buddha was walking over Sumeth's back, he became aware of the young man's wish.   Instead of finding the easier, faster way out of the samsara by wishing for Enlightenment in that very life, Sumeth made a wish that he, too, would become a Buddha one day so that he could help as many people as Dipankara Buddha did, knowing all too well that he had to endure enormous suffering in countless lifetimes to achieve his goal.

Dipankara Buddha looked into the future with his mental powers and predicted that Sumeth would indeed one day become a Buddha like him, a sammasambuddha.   ''Freed from human existence, you will become an effective teacher, for the sake of the world,''  Dipankara Buddha told Sumeth.

The three types of Buddha

But what is the difference between a Buddha and someone who is Enlightened?   After all, didn't Prince Siddhartha became Buddha because he was Enlightened?

The answer can be found in the three types of Buddha.   The first type, sammasambuddha is the rarest and requires the highest effort and the longest period of endurance.   Born when there is no dhamma teaching in the world, they become En lightened by their own effort and inherent wisdom.    A sammasambuddha then goes on to teach others how to be Enlightened like him.

The ability of a sammasambuddha to come up with the right ''curriculum'' to guide others to nirvana is an extremely rare gift.    How rare?    According to the Pali Canon, it sounds like a sammasambuddha comes by only once in an eon.    The present Buddha that we know needed as long as four asamkhya and a hundred-thousand great kalpa to complete his 10 Perfections.

To write the time unit of one asamkhya is to write the number 1 then add 140 zeros after it.   Four asamkhya equal one great kalpa.   A great kalpa is believed to equal 1.28 trillion years.   This is why we should not take the arrival of a sammasambuddha for granted.   We are very blessed to be born when there is one around to teach us.

The second type of Buddha is called a paccekabuddha.   While they can attain Enlightenment by themselves, they do not teach.   If they do, they may only teach about virtuous conduct but they cannot guide people towards Enlightenment.   They do not have the ability to do so.

The third type is called savaka-buddha, or an Enlightened disciple.   The main difference between this type of Buddha and the first two is that they could not become Enlightened by themselves.   They required the guidance or teaching of a sammasambuddha.   However, once Enlightened, they may also lead others to Enlightenment as well.   But they may not be able to reach out to all types of people as a sammasambuddha could, though.   In other words, their teaching would be most beneficial to disciples with similar psychological profiles.   A savaka-buddha is better known in Thailand as an arahant.

Sumeth the ascetic could very well attain the third type of Buddhahood right in the life time that he met Dipankara Buddha, but he chose to forego it for the benefit of more people in the future.   Becoming a sammasambuddha, while requiring much more effort and time to endure suffering, means he would be born when there is no Buddha or the teaching of dhamma.   It would be a time that he could make himself most useful to the world.

After Dipankara Buddha's entourage had passed, Sumeth immediately went to work.   He contemplated carefully the route to Buddhahood of all the previous sammasambuddha. Realising that he needed the 10 Perfections, Sumeth made a vow to himself to go for that goal in every lifetime, no matter how hard it would be, no matter how long it would take.   He would never, ever give up.

We already addressed the length of time that our current Buddha had to accumulate his 10 Perfections.   But how hard could that be?   Hasn't Buddha always been born in a blessed and comfortable environment?   Hasn't he always been born into a royal family, like most of the jataka seem to indicate?

That certainly was not the case.   Lord Buddha himself told many stories of when he was born into a humble family or even as different kinds of animals.

And it was not just a typical humble livelihood that Lord Buddha had to endure.   The path to becoming a sammasambuddha requires one to literally sacrifice everything one has, including one's life, for others.   Lord Buddha himself compared that the number of lives that he had to sacrifice to help others were more than the number of all the coconuts in the world combined.   He was using the coconut as the visual comparison of his head being severed as he gave his life for others.

It must have been love

Those selfless, ultimate, repeated sacrifices are the ''love'' part in Visakha Bucha.   If it was not love, what else can it be?   From forgoing one's Enlightenment opportunity to facing suffering in countless other reincarnations, the mind that would become our Lord Buddha held on to that love and never gave up.

Therefore, on this Visakha Bucha Day, let us not think of it merely as what it is, but why it happened.   It was because of love towards us that Lord Buddha kept accumulating the 10 Perfections so that he would be born as the man who would become Buddha.   Similarly, it was because of love towards us and all sentient beings that Lord Buddha became Enlightened.

If that love was not powerful enough, the then-Prince Siddhartha would not have tried so hard in every imaginable way to the point that he almost lost his life due to the severe demands he placed upon himself in order to attain Enlightenment.

Arguably, it is also because of love that Lord Buddha chose how he would die.   By making his dying moment a public one, Lord Buddha knew that he could impart life's most important lessons to all who were present there and to us here in the future. Lord Buddha's final lesson, arguably summing up all his teachings, was that nothing is permanent, not even the existence of a sammasambuddha.   And because of that, we should diligently practice mindfulness in everything we do so that we, too, will be able to get out of suffering.

Lord Buddha's love in today's context

Today, as we celebrate his life, let us look at him the way we have never looked at him before--as a flesh-and-blood human, a son, a husband and a father who had unconditional love for all.   Lord Buddha once said that his love for his son, Rahul, and his nemesis, Devadatta, is the same.   He wished that both of them could be free of all suffering.

Could we use this important day, then, to ''upgrade'' our minds in such a way that we could give love and compassion to all, even to those who do not always agree with us?    Can we look them in the eyes and wish that they, too, be free of suffering?

After all, we are but fellow sufferers in this endless samsara. This very life we live in is indeed such a tiny time span compared to the eons we have been born and reborn again in this cycle of suffering.   Instead of filling this time span with hatred and anger towards one another, shouldn't we spend time trying to help each other to the best of our ability so that we all would be released from suffering together?

Eons ago, a man at the exit of a burning house, the samsara, looked back and saw us trapped inside, howling for help. Ignoring his own safety and well-being, the man dashed back to reach out to save us.   Naturally, if we don't extend our hands to reach his, we would not be saved and probably face a slow, torturous death.   The ball is now in our court.  That man did try his best and he did save many already.   It is up to us, really, whether we want to stay in the burning house forever or be free, so that we, too, will be able to reach back and help others.

The road to becoming a sammasambuddha was not a bed of roses.   It was a true labour of love right from the beginning to the very end, eons later.   Therefore, let love and compassion reign this Visakha Bucha Day.   Not only because it is the most suitable homage we can pay to the man behind it all, but also because of the fact that the path to the end of all suffering of every human and sentient being starts with love.

Meditation FAQs

 

Two weeks ago in this column, we talked about the fairy-tale life of our friend Collette, who, like many contemporary Thais, has subconsciously suffered deep-rooted depression stemming from the political hullabaloo of the last few years.

Having led a perfect life before the depression hit, Collette did not realize what she had been missing until she went to a mindfulness meditation retreat.   What happened afterwards was a pure miracle.   Until the day of this writing, Collette still enjoys her daily surprises in the form of flashes of wisdom as she goes on living her busy life happily, thanks to her faithful, 30-minute-a-day walking and sitting meditation practice.

What is more surprising, to the author at least, is the amount of feedback the author received from that article on Collette's life. Some found it inspiring, saying it made them even more curious and interested in going to a retreat themselves.  Some who have already gone to the retreat forwarded that article to their friends who have yet to do so.   Some wondered if this fairy tale would be really possible for everyone. Others mused how long this "honeymoon period" of our protagonist would last.

Honestly, these questions sound pretty much like the 'Frequently-Asked Questions' (the FAQs) the author and those who have gone to a retreat always received in our daily life. M  ay be it is a good idea, then, to answer them here for the benefit of all readers.

 

Is such an amazing experience possible for all?

Yes. Seriously. And this is the most amazing thing about the miracle of mindfulness meditation. The practice is pretty straightforward: you reap what you sowed.  And, like we discussed two weeks ago, the author's friend did give 100% of her effort during the retreat.

Come to think about it, may be she actually gave 150% and, consequently, received such an enviable result!   As someone who enjoys a good life (meaning a gourmet's life) who is approaching the so-called 'golden age,' Collette has a slight physical challenge regarding sitting on the floor, even with supporting cushions.   As a result, she sustained more discomfort, not to mention more of the occasional meditation-induced pain, than most of us.

The highest wisdom in Buddhism, it should be noted, starts with one's ability to see the nature of suffering and understand it.    Fortunately for Collette, what she initially perceived as her drawback turned out to be her blessing in disguise.   For it was through her pain that her first true flashes of wisdom arose.    A very defining moment, it propelled her to a higher state of mind, a state that enabled her to sit with the pain with a smile. Right from that day until the end of the retreat.

Looking back, Collette said she realized that the pain-conquering experience alone is such an invaluable life asset. She now knows how to handle any physical or mental challenges in her life, right into the very last days of it.   Having seen grandparents and older relatives in their last moments, Collette knew how dreadful the pain for the terminally ill could be. When one becomes very ill with the kind of pain that modern medicine can no longer help, it is this very skill, mindfulness meditation skill, that we humans need the most.

Before going to the retreat, Collette never knew that, like everybody before her who gave 100%, she also has the capability to cultivate this valuable pain-conquering skill.    If the author had told her that she could acquire that in seven days, Collette would probably have said the author was crazy. Now it is Collette who enjoys telling her family and friends of that defining moment of hers, the moment she gained wisdom through the pain.

The lesson of this story is, do not worry that your physical condition may be a hindrance to your chance to gain wisdom from meditation.    For each one of us, there would be the most suitable conduit through which the Dhamma would occur. For Collette, it happened to be through a pain that was heightened by her physical condition. What would yours could be? Don't you want to find out?

 

How long would the "honeymoon" last?

 

There are two aspects of the meditator's "honeymoon period" that the author would like to address.    First, the meditation-induced "high" or various kinds of Piti or Vipassanupakilesa. Some positive, meditation-induced physical and mental phenomena could last days, weeks, or even months.    Soon, the Dhamma would reveal itself, though, no "high" would last forever.   And that would be when the value of the second aspect would shine.

The second aspect, the one that is more lasting, is the wisdom-induced peace of mind.    While less stirring than the "high," it proves to be the more meaningful one of the two.    This is especially true for those who continue to practice mindfulness diligently every day after coming out of the retreat, like our friend Collette does.

In other words, by repeating the techniques we learned from a retreat in our daily life, we are in essence re-living the retreat experience every day.   This means more meditation-induced wisdom.    Accompanying that unique type of wisdom is the state of mind that feels relieved and at peace.    And this is the most difficult part to describe to those who have yet to go to a retreat.

It starts when the mind "knows." Knows what?    You have to find out yourself in a retreat.    It is something that no words can describe because it is truly beyond everyday cognitive experience.    All the author could say is that what the mind knows would make you feel good unconditionally.    Well, with the world currently in a state of both political and economic mess, nothing beats the ability to feel good unconditionally, dear readers.    Just ask Collette.

Useful tip for "the returner"

Now, a useful tip for Collette herself and those like her, someone who just returned from their first meditation retreat. Tell people around you not to expect an angel!    Most likely than not, no matter how unbelievably good the experience we might have had from our retreat, we are nowhere near the state of the Arahantship yet.    This means we are still subject to experience the usual mental defilements, be it anger, disappointment, fear, desire, or any other mishaps.    The difference is that we would be able to deal with it better and get over it faster, that is all.

The more we continue to practice, the better our "mindfulness engine" would be, meaning the faster we will get over those nasty moments and the better we can handle it.    So, the next time you amaze those around you with your new-found "magic," be it with your incredible patience or your Zen-like calm, tell your wide-eyed audience that this skill is not definite yet.   You still can't switch to the "enlightened-mode" on-demand, you can say, but you are enjoying every minute making progress towards that.

See you in two weeks.    Until then, let us stay mindful.

It Could Happen to You

 

You Travel Far to Discover Home by Ben

 

“Fairy tales can come true. It can happen to you... if you're young at heart.”  

 

Well, although what you are about to read now is not exactly a love story, it does have its fair share of love.   The reason we have this headline is because, while the author was gathering thoughts for this piece, this very phrase actually popped up in mind.

 

Being a true believer in intuition, the author decided to stay with it.   Who knows, this headline might draw the attention of someone out there who normally does not care to read this humble column, especially the romantic type!

 

Today we are going to look into a real life story of one of the author's friends from high school years.   She kindly allowed the author to share her story with the readers because she also believes it would really benefit someone who may have led a life similar to her.   In other words, she also believes that it could happen to you, dear readers.

 

Could it be you?

Enters Collette (her French nickname, given by our French teacher in high school).   Collette used to believe that she has always had a decent life.   And the author agrees with her. She is a bright lady brimmed with so much energy that she always electrifies everyone around her.   And because of that, she has always been an achiever who has done great things not only for herself but for others around her as well.

 

Since high school, Collette made it to the university and faculty of her first choice and thoroughly enjoyed her college years. Then, she went overseas for her masters'.   Coming back to Thailand, she fell in love and got married with a good-looking, respectable gentleman who dotes on her and who has also won the heart of her family.

 

If that alone is not enough.   Collette has more.   She always got to do what she wanted to do, not only in her career, but also in social work which is as important to her life as her family and work.   She made some decent investment in real property and stocks and she was able to live comfortably.

 

Collette travelled a lot, both in Thailand and abroad.   A life-long educational advocate, she always enjoyed learning new things and became the indispensable source of information when her friends need help.   From health care to travel tips to restaurant recommendations, all you have to do is to give Collette a call. You won't be disappointed.

 

A perfect life, you might say.   What more could a lady ask for? Children?   Well, she and her husband do not have any but that was also their wish.   She is busy enough now with her beloved nephew and never felt that her life is missing anything.

 

This first part of fairy tale's life was abruptly disrupted recently, when Thailand has entered a period of political and social mess. Being highly social-minded (she spent six months in Phuket helping victims of the 2004 Asian Tsunami), Collette felt exhausted. She developed some kind of deep-rooted depression that slowly built up in her subconscious mind.   She felt that no matter what she did or tried to do to help the society, we are still in a big political, social, and moral chaos.

 

No matter how much love and dedication her husband, family and friends gave her, Collette was not able to shake off that heavy feeling.   It took a toll on her health.   One day, she found herself crying at night, not knowing exactly why she did so.

 

Being a courageous lady, she thought she could tough it out like she used to do with any other issues in life.   It turned out that she could not.   For three months, Collette found herself crying every night.

 

No matter how much merit she tried to do, no matter how many good activities she tried to engage herself in, her depression did not go away.

 

Collette was crying when she called the author one evening. She did not know what was happening to her.   After trying to calm her down and give her some positive encouragement, the author invited her to come along for a mindfulness meditation retreat.

 

Although Collette knew that it is a good thing to do, especially if you are a Buddhist, she did not agree to go immediately.   In other words, she still could not connect how mindfulness meditation could help her in the real world, in her daily life. Instead, she turned to a life of nightly parties.   She tried to travel abroad even more often. But she could not get away from the depression in her own mind.

 

The author could not remember how long time went by until Collette gave another call.   Perhaps it was months later.   This time, she was more composed.   Sensing that she might be ready to go now, the author invited her again, "Hey, I'm going again in two weeks' time.   Wanna join?"

 

Without hesitation, Collette said, "Yes, can you please book a place for me?"

 

The author literally jumped with joy.   "Yes!" was the reaction that spontaneously sprang up in the author's mind.   For the author knew that, with her energy and her dedication to a cause she believes in, she would excel in her retreat and thus being able to lift herself out of her constant depression.

 

The author was not disappointed.   Collette did give 100% in her very first retreat.   The author observed with admiration how she delved into each practice session with sheer determination and zest.   It was only the fourth day of our eight-day, seven-night retreat that Collette came to realize what life actually is and what her purpose of life should be.

 

She was able to see, by herself and not by anyone telling her so, that each and every suffering she experienced in life only came from within.   And she also learned that, while she can not change the world, she could indeed change herself and achieve peace even if she is still living among the same old chaos.   She also discovered that if she wants to continue "saving the world," she could still to do so.   The only difference is that now she already sees that the only cause worth promoting to people is the cause of mindfulness.

 

If people have mindfulness in the Buddhist sense of the word, Collette discovered, the society would naturally be peaceful simply because one would be able to have compassion for all.

 

In one lengthy sitting session when the pain disturbed her so much while she was concentrating on cultivating mindfulness, she saw, with her mind's eyes, flashes of the brands of her favorite alcohol drinks.   Then, a wisdom inside her told her that she has to quit this if she wants to have sustainable peace in her life.

 

And once she gave a determined vow to herself and to Lord Buddha during that sitting that she would not touch those beverages anymore, Collette experienced miracle.   She was able to live with that pain with a peaceful mind.   The pain did not go away miraculously, but her mind was lifted up one notch.   And she was free.

 

In later sitting sessions, she even found herself smiling during the sitting.   Collette has found the proven path to the peace within.

 

And Collette is now back on her fairy tale's life again, thanks to her willing to be "young at heart," meaning always opening up to learn new things.   In Zen parlance, we call it "a beginner's mind."   A Zen mind/beginner's mind opens up to any possibilities and not limited to our past experience.

 

Now, because she could make peace with herself, she could make peace with anyone.   And that is the part that is related to love.   For Collette was able to give loving kindness to all beings, including to her so-called political foe.   Her complexion, a reflection of her mind, is now glowing healthily.   Everybody in her family was astonished how glowing and happy she was when they welcomed her back home.   Now everyone in her family wants to go the retreat.

 

If you have lived your life like Collette did, believing that you already have a decent livelihood and never cause harm to anyone, Collette has a message for you.   "This (the mindfulness retreat) is the best thing that ever happened in my life.   I wished I had done it earlier."   She is still the same highly energetic Collette, but she now knows how to let go.   Collette is as driven as ever, but she no longer feels exhausted.   If this is not a fairy tale with a happy ending, then, what do you think it is?

 

Well, what are you waiting for?   It could happen to you, you know. :-)

The 38 Blessings: Part I

 

The twelve days of Christmas. The eight days of Hanukkah. The seven days of Kwanzaa. Cultures around the world each have their version of multiple blessings. As 2009 is probably going to be equally tough as, or even tougher than 2008, we all need as many blessings as we can get.

Therefore, this column is presenting today the first of a two-part series on the 38 blessings to welcome the New Year and to give encouragement and moral support to our dear readers that our life does not have to be as gloomy as the 2009 economic forecast. The reason is, in Buddhism, we are in charge of our own blessings.  It is quite up to us how we want to take on life, whether it is during recession or otherwise.

Having said that, let us now take a tour of Buddhist blessings.

In Buddhism, the Discourse on Blessings, Mangala Sutta, lists 38 items which Lord Buddha regarded as the Highest Blessings.  The Sutta comprises 10 sections in which a few relevant blessings are grouped together.  Buddhist scholars note that, as with other teachings of Lord Buddha, the blessings seem to run from simpler deeds towards the more sophisticated ones.

To borrow a modern-day gamers' philosophy, we all have to start at the "first level."  Then, as our skills accumulate, we proceed to subsequent levels that have more challenging tasks.  As gamers would have agreed, the more challenging the task, the more fulfilling the reward.  Keeping this logic in mind, let us check out the list that Lord Buddha provided.

(Note: the original quotes of Lord Buddha are those in italics and in quotation marks. The definition of each section is provided by the author for the reader's convenient reference.)

1. Blessed company

"... 1) Not associating with fools; 2) Associating with the wise; 3) Expressing respect to those worthy of respect..."

While the first group of blessings seems to be easy enough, it is by no means less significant than those in the subsequent groups.   For if we contemplate it carefully, we would notice that the subsequent blessings could not be achieved if those in the first group are not realized.  Therefore, being in blessed company is at the same time least difficult to achieve yet most crucial to achieve if one is seeking more refined blessings in life.

2. Blessed determination

"...4) Living in a suitable location; 5) Having meritorious deeds in one's past; 6) Setting oneself in the right course..."

To enable oneself to be exposed to as much blessings as possible in life, one must prepare oneself for it.  Buddhist blessings, it should be noted, do not come by random, by luck or at the mercy of some gods/goddesses.   By having determined to achieve a blessed life, a good Buddhist starts by setting oneself on the right course.

Having been on the right course would enable one to be wise in choosing an appropriate location where one would spend this life. Being in a suitable location would then open up an opportunity to accumulate meritorious deeds.   Everything in life is actually a cause-and-effect, if one carefully looks at it.

Alternately speaking, when one reflects the fact that one was able to do meritorious deeds in the past, one would realize that it started first with one's determination to do something good which then propelled one to be in the right place.

3. Blessed learning effort

"... 7) Extensive learning; 8) Skillfulness in one's arts; 9) Highly-trained discipline; 10) Well-spoken speech..."

Determination and blessed company might already bring us many blessings.  But if we are determined to constantly improve ourselves, we must put in a lot of effort to be a thoroughly learned person.   In Buddhism, one does not become learned by forced rote-learning, but rather by having high discipline to practice our respective arts extensively and with a resolute mind.

It is also noteworthy that being able to speak well also belongs to this group.   Lord Buddha seemed to imply that one should not consider oneself learned until one masters the skills of passing on one's wisdom to others effectively.   Talking about well-spoken speech, the author could not help but be reminded of America's President-elect Barack Obama.   He seems to be a fine example of someone who possesses the third group of blessings!

4. Blessed responsibilities

"...11) Filial piety; 12) Cherishing one's children and spouse; 13) Complication-free livelihood..."

One may have great self-determination, be in good company, and put oneself through a strenuous learning effort, but one can not really count oneself as being really blessed if one ignores one's social responsibilities.   Lord Buddha put a lot of emphasis on filial piety, as it is also implied in further blessings. Blessing No. 13 sometimes translated as "not leaving work undone (and hence does not cause complication in one's livelihood)."

5. Blessed generosity and charity

"...14) Generosity; 15) Righteous conduct; 6) Caring for extended family; 17) Beneficial activities..."

The fifth group of blessings is an obvious extension of the preceding group.   It implies a blessed social responsibility on a wider scale. Having righteous conduct here means one lives by the dhamma, thus causing no harm to others, either by thought, by words or by deeds.

The natural next step on the moral scale for a person who lives life determined not to harm others in any way is giving.  In other words, one not only refrains from harming others, one also makes other feel good. Giving does not have to be anything material.  One can simply avail one's time and effort to the service of others.

How are we doing so far?   How many blessings do you already have in your life?   Make sure you pass the words around that life's blessings abound for those who are determined to achieve them.   We will be back with the latter half of the 38 blessings in two weeks' time. Meanwhile, enjoy counting your blessings!

 

These monks exemplify the blessings from all the five groups: blessed company, blessed determination, blessed learning efforts, blessed responsibility, blessed generosity & charity.

The Monk’s Work Team by SBA73