I just thought of briefly inscribing a few lines on taking account of one’s own life. In other words, take time to reflect upon yourself inwardly and wisely scrutinize on your own deeds, words, thoughts and feelings.
Life as a human being is very significant. Numerous capabilities and abilities are endowed and gifted. The most distinguished factor is the mind. The ordinary human being is capable and able to cultivate and develop numerous wholesome inner qualities. The nature of the ordinary human mind is subject to grasps and accumulates innumerable mental toxics and impurities. The mind becomes very impure. An impure and defiled mind is very obscure. Such a mind easily associates with anger, jealousy, hatred and some other cruel thoughts. Unknowingly it leads to psychopathic characters in people. Some people have become psychologically extremely sick. Those who do not take medication for their psychopathic changes are the worst individuals. They are not capable of controlling and managing their anger.
An impure and defiled mind is very obscure. Such a mind easily associates with anger, jealousy, hatred and some other cruel thoughts. Unknowingly it leads to psychopathic characters in people. Some people have become psychologically extremely sick
They always act and talk as perfect beings. They do not accept and do not take responsibility for their mistakes. They pass them to others. They always seek others faults but not their own. Psychopaths always thinks they are supreme and let others down. They never see the positive or good side of others.
But wise and intelligent human beings concentrate on their own behaviour. They wisely operate and exercise their verbal, physical and mental activities. They do not hurt and harm others. Wise people concentrate on consequences of their action before they act. They are deeply mindful of their own actions before they perform and commit them.
Once the Buddha, the Blessed one, asked Venerable Rahula thus: What is the purpose of a mirror? Then, he said: for the purpose of reflection.
Then the Blessed One advised thus: an action with body should be done after repeated reflection, an action by speech should be done after repeated reflection, and an action by mind should be done after repeated reflection… if that action leads to one’s own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both, our Master kindly has advised us to not commit such an action.
One’s own introspection is the profound examination and analysis. If someone honestly excogitate on one’s own inner behaviour with a great deal of changing the manner which mostly discloses in words and deeds, will encourage correcting and rectifying in a righteous way that leads to true peace and happiness.
Presently, most members in our human family celebrate annual celebrations according to their own credences and ideologies. We all must respect and appreciate the way they still continue with unchanging attitude and traditions. In fact, there are hidden treasures in some practices which pave the way to cultivate kindness, compassion and respect but most of them blindly follow it. Unfortunately some of them destructively criticize without any knowledge and understanding.
Born Buddhists and Hindus celebrate their New Year in the middle of April. In Sri Lanka, it is a tremendous and extraordinary celebration. They spend an enormous amount of their own income that is hard earned, on clothes, food, alcohol and gifts. Unfortunately most Sinhalese cannot celebrate anything without alcohol. Even though they foolishly boast about Buddhism or their superior culture what they practice is contrary to what they preach.
They observe and promise themselves not to violate precepts and rules in front of their own children and parents. Some matured people, along with their parents and children absurdly and imprudently violate them, showing their own disgraceful act, contrary to what they articulate and advise others. Unfortunately, pragmatically some people are very inefficient and incapable to practice what they promise for themselves.
A ludicrous and ridiculous fact is that they verbally observe precepts and on the contrary, they violate the precepts numerous times in day-to-day life. Most demonstrative and show off people pretend that they are committed. They assume and simulate that they are the most knowledgeable and live according to rules and regulations what religious Masters defined, but in reality they ruin themselves. They are the worst enemies who spoil and destroy our future generation.
Now the time has arrived to look inward for every one of their own acts, mentality, thoughts, feelings, how they treat others, what refined language they speak with others, how they address others, how polite you are, do you verbally hurt or physically harm others, are you jealous of others, are you happy about others’ achievements and accomplishments, are you strong enough to tolerate others’ mistakes, do you discriminate others, do you tolerate others beliefs, faiths and culture, and so on.
This is the time for you to take into consideration your own behaviour and conduct. You may be young, educated, healthy and wealthy but unpredictable contingencies and unavoidable circumstances will inform you that your life is expired.
Wholesome mental energy is the vital factor that we all must accumulate by cleansing and purifying one’s own mind. If your own deep rooted wholesome consciousness attests that you are virtuous and righteous, you will be led to a happy and secured destination hereafter.
You are completely responsible for yourself. One is utterly accountable for oneself. Therefore, one’s every single verbal, mental and physical action should be purely and exclusively virtuous and righteous. Whatever the action you carry out, both physical and verbal are your own. You are utterly accountable and answerable for your deeds.
Wise and intelligent human beings concentrate on their own behaviour. They wisely operate and exercise their verbal, physical and mental activities. They do not hurt and harm others. Wise people concentrate on consequences of their action before they act. They are deeply mindful of their own actions before they perform and commit them
Human rights and equal rights are the most crucial and exigent issues in our global society today. Individually, multitudes of people hold discussions and criticize as they wish according to their political partiality and personal propensity. But people are rarely concerned about their own individual vicinities and nuclear families, such as home, office, school, working place and so on. This is a very pivotal and significant fact which most people have forgotten.
Numerous shocking stories and disgusting reports disclose that many individuals agonise their own partners and children in our human society. They may avoid the state punishment but the karma definitely will never allow them to take a by-pass. Karma will certainly and categorically prescribe and provide the same dose.
Be kind and wise to concentrate on your own duties and responsibilities on your own.
Reflection must be thoroughly focused on one’s own family. Not materially but emotionally.
Then you will be happy to say that I am kind and generous. I am virtuous and righteous.
“Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts, suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.”
(Dhammapada.)
“How people treat you is their Karma, how you react is yours”
This article was Published in Daily Mirror newspaper on 12 April 2018