From Rage to Forgiveness: What Lies Between (Part Sixteen)

The Western Pure Land: a land not just of beauty

but also of profound symbolism.

The Buddha spoke of a wondrous Pure Land for the benefit of future beings. But he knew this land would be beyond our ability to grasp.

And so the Buddha used imagery to help us—ground of gold, trees of jewels, birds singing the Dharma. He knew that wise masters would learn and practice the teachings, and over time they would explain the teachings to their students.

The masters would point out how the golden ground symbolizes purity, unlike ours made of dirt. And how the precious jewels aren’t like the jewels here that trigger our greed. In that land, they symbolize the four qualities of enlightenment: permanence, joy, true self, and purity.

Also, how the company of compassionate, caring bodhisattvas means that no longer will we be in the company of people who trigger our anger. 

So, like those masters, to truly appreciate and deeply believe the teachings, we too need to study and practice them.

The clarity we need to resolve a problem is . . .

What we often think:

others do evil, not me.

As Buddhists, we believe that all beings are by nature good. But, for uncountable reasons, we often don’t do what is good. And in not doing good, we all too often stray into doing evil as our thoughts go unnoticed, our speech becomes careless, our actions go unchecked.

Lazy, we fall into bad habits.

Caught off guard, we don’t think before we react.

Proud, we can’t bring ourselves to apologize.

Frustrated, we don’t think, or care, about what we’re doing to others.

Selfish, we ignore the needs and wishes of others.

Intolerant, we don’t care about those whom we deem inferior.

So anger, unforgiveness, envy, fear, delusion, ignorance—these are all evil. But we ourselves are not evil. Sadly, however, often when we are not mindful, we can do evil things. So, with an awareness of this, do not focus on what others do. Do not be angry at the actions of others. Focus on what you yourself are thinking . . . saying . . . doing.

This is where it all begins.

Will it be evil or good?