Snoopy said:
Hi everyone,
"Dhammapada, first line"......errrr......how does this relate to what you're all talking about please??? I'm having a real
lights are on but there's nobody home attack here I think
Snoopy.
Snoopy,
I'll respond, since I started this thread. It came in a moment of quasi-relation.
"All we are, is the result of what we think." The Buddha explains the Law of Karma, of Cause and Effect, and spells out that if we think
positive thoughts, we build a
positive future - for ourselves and others.
Even the Dalai Lama points out that from a personal, self-oriented standpoint, thinking & acting positive
is its own reward, since this
will directly benefit ourselves MORE than acting negatively. Helping others, too, might just be considered a nice side effect, from this (self-centered) perspective.
Then of course, we can see it in the reverse. Thinking & acting positively is the surest way to
benefit others, and a nice side effect will be that we bring positive results
to ourselves.
But we must not forget that Karma also returns negative thought & action with a like consequence. This insures that,
sooner or later, after we've "had enough" (and
we can test this Law, if we like!) ... we will begin to
cooperate with the additional Laws of the Universe. The Law of Love, for example (
Big Brother to the Law of Cause & Effect), opens up doors which keep leading
in & in, deeper & deeper, to the heart of our being, of all being. Sometimes, we can't learn how to open those doors, until we are thoroughly familiar with all the behavior and negativity that
closes them (or keeps them closed).
WE decide our future. And we also decide the future of the rest of the planet,
in due part. Even 10% of the planet, can win the unenlightened masses over, but only if there is
some cooperation.
The more I THINK about, or energize, the foolishness about a
wrathful, vengeful deity .... one that desires blood sacrifice, plays
favorites, or does
anything other/less than LOVE ... the more I basically just create -
and perpetuate - an illusion. Yet this illusion is in many ways a very real demon, and it
masquerades as an Angel of Light. It doesn't matter if we call it jehovah, allah, krishna or bill the magnificent. It is first and foremost
our creation of a lesser god (than
G-d) ... which torments & tortures Humanity.
This is what I meant by my initial post. The things that happen in the
name of religion ... are
Humanity's responsibility. This is our collective karma. Yet even the first line of the Dhammapada tells us how we can solve the problem. And it doesn't matter whether we are Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Pagan or non-religious. Karma is Karma. Law is Law. Jump off a building, and
see if you cease to fall, simply because you "do not
believe in gravity."
Are God's Laws so objective and verifiable (as gravity)? Gee, let's see. Go around hurting other people, and acting like a general arse, and hmmm ... sooner or later, this will catch up with you.
Personally. Not to mention the impact you've had on all those people. But treat others with kindness, and be a positive,
uplifiting influence upon & around others, and sure enough, the Universe will repay you with the same (and greater) kindness. This is the Law. Some like to personalize it, yet God does not
arbitrarily choose how to apply Karma. Karma simply
IS.
I believe the image first posted speaks volumes. If one can feel a part of something larger, and accept & understand how all the great religions of this planet fit together ...
then we're on to something. Otherwise, we may not have very long here together. It's for us to decide.
Run of the Mill
Namaskar,
taijasa