People rarely live up to a hundred years of age but yet, they carry with them the worries of a thousand years. Within this chaotic and dazzling world, it is only due to ignorance that people have created for themselves. Thousands and tens of thousands of attachments and worries, like cycles within cycles and layers upon layers these attachments and worries have firmly plugged their minds. So tightly plugged that one is nearly suffocated, so densely blocked that it becomes indissoluble. Their purpose in life have been totally sunk into a loss and an illusion of the past, the present and the future. No time is ever spared to seek the real meaning of life. Hence, greed, anger, ignorance and desire come into being. Cause-Consequence comes into being and the endless floating and sinking of births and deaths come into being. Let's talk about happiness. (a) One should have an awareness of impermanence and not to emphasize on material life, be eager in one's pursuit of Truth, be willing to sacrifice oneself in order to serve the people so that they can transcend the cycle of rebirth. Vow to cease one's endless worries and vexations and cultivate oneself although there may be no end to such a road. Make oneself happy even in a very bitter environment and turn the suffering into wisdom, severe confusion and learn from the Buddhas, wipe out karma and do good deeds. In this way one's whole life won't pass by in vain. (b) One who has the ability to help others should do so eagerly and one who has wealth should make donations and help people generously. Those endowed with high morals should influence and reform others. So the happiest thing in the world is to do good deeds, to help others and to have a satisfied mind. The man of perfect virtues has three sources of happiness. 1] That his parents and siblings are still living. 2] He feels righteous even before God. 3] He surrounds himself with talented people and is able to educate them. These are the delights that virtuous men desire. Make the devil your enemy but do not make people your enemy. Author: T.A Chew
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