"Why not?” is not a question. The title above is rather, in fact, an answer to those complaining minds. There are many things in this world that goes not the way one expects it to be.
Sometimes, they even turn out to be what one dislikes. Facing this unpleasant facts, some people tend to complain. They seem to question why that unfavourable things happened to them.
Nothing happened by chance in this world. What we are experiencing, is the result of what we have done before. So rather than complaining it would better to accept it willingly for it is how the world goes: we are reaping what we've sowed. No more or less! It’s just so natural!
Even if one despises it or one does not know anything about it at all, the world still runs in that way. It is just like the law of gravity that is applied to all, even to a clueless newborn baby. It also applies even to those who don’t believe it. This is exactly what the Dhamma is all about. The Dhamma is the law in itself which operates without any external or independent ruling agency. It does not need one to believe. Because the word ‘belief’ relates to something that one has not seen it him/herself and has to be taken voluntarily or involuntarily, thus one wouldn't be sure of it unless proven. Whereas Dhamma is about ‘knowing’, ‘seeing’ and 'experiencing' by yourself. It is about understanding and accepting life as it really is.
Therefore, when one sees oneself, then the word ‘belief’ just disappears.
More than 2600 years ago, the Buddha discovered the Path, the Noble Eightfold Path and out of compassion shared his wisdom with us. He said, the state leading to the arising of the Eightfold Path is the wise reflection, reasoned attention, methodical consideration. These are called Yoniso Manasikara. It is the forerunner of the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path; with it, right view will arise. And with the arising of the right view, right intention arises…and so on. Just as dawn is the forerunner of sunrise; so does yoniso manasikara is the forerunner of the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Yoniso manasikara can be practiced in two steps: (1) develop understanding that everything one experiences is the result of one’s own karma, thus by realising that, (2) one has to keep the mind away from defilement (greed, hatred, delusion).
Once the right view arises, happiness arises too. Happiness never goes together with wrong view. It’s as if one were to stand and face the west and wait for the sunrise: one will never be succeed to see it. Unless one knows and accepts the truth that the sun rises in the east, one will always be suffering. Therefore it is very important to have and develop right view.
With the right mental state and wisdom or understanding that life is merely a repetitive cycle of birth, old age, sickness, suffering comes from dissociated from the loved one or from associating with one hates, not to get what one wants, and death; one would realize there’s really nothing to complain about, or at least one will complain less.
So, now, when someone questions their suffering, “Why me?” one should reply, “Why not?” This will bring them to the wise reflection (yoniso manasikara) as a first step to the Noble Eightfold Path.
Happy Liberation to all of you...
(Ashin Kheminda’s Dhamma talk on Vesakh Day at Prasadha Jinarakhita –this building is built to commemorate Ashin Jinarakkhita who revived Buddhism in Indonesia after being forgotten for more than 500 years --transcript by Clesia Lay)
Sometimes, they even turn out to be what one dislikes. Facing this unpleasant facts, some people tend to complain. They seem to question why that unfavourable things happened to them.
Nothing happened by chance in this world. What we are experiencing, is the result of what we have done before. So rather than complaining it would better to accept it willingly for it is how the world goes: we are reaping what we've sowed. No more or less! It’s just so natural!
Even if one despises it or one does not know anything about it at all, the world still runs in that way. It is just like the law of gravity that is applied to all, even to a clueless newborn baby. It also applies even to those who don’t believe it. This is exactly what the Dhamma is all about. The Dhamma is the law in itself which operates without any external or independent ruling agency. It does not need one to believe. Because the word ‘belief’ relates to something that one has not seen it him/herself and has to be taken voluntarily or involuntarily, thus one wouldn't be sure of it unless proven. Whereas Dhamma is about ‘knowing’, ‘seeing’ and 'experiencing' by yourself. It is about understanding and accepting life as it really is.
Therefore, when one sees oneself, then the word ‘belief’ just disappears.
More than 2600 years ago, the Buddha discovered the Path, the Noble Eightfold Path and out of compassion shared his wisdom with us. He said, the state leading to the arising of the Eightfold Path is the wise reflection, reasoned attention, methodical consideration. These are called Yoniso Manasikara. It is the forerunner of the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path; with it, right view will arise. And with the arising of the right view, right intention arises…and so on. Just as dawn is the forerunner of sunrise; so does yoniso manasikara is the forerunner of the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Yoniso manasikara can be practiced in two steps: (1) develop understanding that everything one experiences is the result of one’s own karma, thus by realising that, (2) one has to keep the mind away from defilement (greed, hatred, delusion).
Once the right view arises, happiness arises too. Happiness never goes together with wrong view. It’s as if one were to stand and face the west and wait for the sunrise: one will never be succeed to see it. Unless one knows and accepts the truth that the sun rises in the east, one will always be suffering. Therefore it is very important to have and develop right view.
With the right mental state and wisdom or understanding that life is merely a repetitive cycle of birth, old age, sickness, suffering comes from dissociated from the loved one or from associating with one hates, not to get what one wants, and death; one would realize there’s really nothing to complain about, or at least one will complain less.
So, now, when someone questions their suffering, “Why me?” one should reply, “Why not?” This will bring them to the wise reflection (yoniso manasikara) as a first step to the Noble Eightfold Path.
Happy Liberation to all of you...
(Ashin Kheminda’s Dhamma talk on Vesakh Day at Prasadha Jinarakhita –this building is built to commemorate Ashin Jinarakkhita who revived Buddhism in Indonesia after being forgotten for more than 500 years --transcript by Clesia Lay)
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