Good dharmas

The Buddha said in the Ten Virtuous Conducts Sutra that bodhisattvas have a method that can help them end all sufferings in the Three Evil Paths. The method is being often mindful of and contemplating wholesome thoughts, and observing wholesome behavior and speech night and day, not having even the slightest non-virtuous thought. This way, one will end all evils forever and perfectly accomplish good dharmas—wholesome thoughts, behavior and speech.

When one is often mindful of good dharmas, one’s mind will be virtuous. When one often contemplates good dharmas, one’s thoughts will be virtuous. When one often observes good dharmas, one’s conduct will be virtuous. The criterion for virtuousness is to permanently end the Ten Evil Conducts: killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, enticing speech, greed, anger, and ignorance.

When one’s every thought, every word, and every action accords with the Ten Virtuous Conducts and the virtues innate in the true nature, one will be free from all sufferings in the evil paths.

~ Ven. Master Chin Kung

Revelations

If I am angry with others – I reveal the anger that I have for myself.

If I am critical of others – I reveal the criticism that I have for myself.

On the other hand:

If I am loving of others – I reveal that I am capable of loving myself.

If I have compassion for others – I reveal that I am capable of having compassion for myself.

~ A Reader

Nothing Exists on its Own

 The cloud transforms into rain.

The rain waters the earth.

The earth nurtures the seed that becomes a flower

watered by the rain that was the cloud.

Nothing exists on its own.

When the Mind is Pure

When we contemplate carefully, we see that all the complex problems throughout history and around the world arise from contradiction, conflict, opposition, and inequality. When we probe deeper, we see that the root of conflict is the conflict between the true nature and the acquired habits of humanity. In other words, it is the conflict between altruism and self-benefit.

Therefore, the Buddha taught this fundamental principle: “When the mind is pure, the land will be pure. When the mind is at peace, all beings will be at peace. When the mind is impartial, the world will enjoy equality.” He taught us to purify ourselves, enrich our spiritual life, return to our original goodness, and achieve harmony of body and mind. This way, all the contradictions, conflicts, oppositions, and inequalities in the world will naturally be resolved.

~ Ven. Master Chin Kung

Wow! Where Did That Come From?

As soon as you notice that negative thought has arisen, ask yourself "Where did that come from? Am I angry with him?" If you realize that you are, ask yourself why. And then give yourself a little Dharma lecture. You know being angry doesn't make you happy. You know it plants the seeds for more anger in the future. You know current enmities stem from past enmities and that if unresolved will only be worse in the future. And you know it wastes your energy. And makes you cranky. So lecture yourself. I often do so.

If it's not even someone you know or if you have no reason to be angry, you might ask ""Am I jealous?" If that strikes a chord, tell yourself to get over it. Obviously the other person has the right conditions for what they have accomplished. Figure out what the causes for those conditions are and if they're good, do them yourself. You can either spend your time envying others for what they have accomplished or spend it in planting your causes for future good conditions.

Or maybe that negative thought arose from fear. Fear of you or someone you care about losing something. This is yet another opportunity for a Dharma talk. Remind yourself that whatever happens to you and whatever you have has been determined by your previous thoughts, speech, and behavior. No one can take from you what you destined yourself to experience or have. Just as you cannot obtain something that you have not destined yourself to experience or have.

As soon as you detect a negative thought, figure out where it came from. Then determine the Buddhist principle that applies and give yourself a mini Dharma talk. In this way, you can eliminate your negative thoughts and increase the positive ones.