Buddha's teachings - guide to a peaceful life

Ven. Horowpothane Sathindriya Thera

"Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass:
The stages of life successively desert us.
Seeing clearly this danger in death,
A seeker of peace should drop the world's bait."*

                                            - Gotama Buddha

Now we are in year 2008. Moment by moment and day by day time and the opportunity swiftly passes and moves on.

Once Benjamin Franklin said "You may be delayed but time will not"

This is a very important fact to reflect upon and we should use the precious time for our benefit and that of others too.

Mostly each of us has our own agenda and a list of work which to be done and fulfilled as member in our human family.

Our duties, commitments and responsibilities have been clearly emphasised by the Supreme Master the Buddha 25 centuries ago. In his particular discourse which was delivered to a young person named Sigla, He has explained 61 important duties that should be performed by parents, children, teachers, students, employers, employees, husbands, wives, devotees and holy persons.

The person, who mindfully and diligently performs his duties well, will achieve the inner peace and innermost happiness.

Wise people and those who associate with wise make firm resolutions in every year to refrain from evil and to cultivate and practise good and wholesome deeds.

Once the Buddha said: "One by one, little by little, moment by moment wise man should remove his own impurities as smith removes the dross of silver".

We should not think that we have enough time, postpone and delay the commitments and duties, as well as our spiritual practice which are inevitably indispensable to accomplish the goals in our day to day life.

With each passing year, we unknowingly reach the moment of death which can certainly take place at any time, though most of human beings are not mindful of this.

The spread of incurable diseases and deadly afflictions globally has resulted in shorter lifespans and untimely death. This impedes whatever ambitions we aspire for and expectations we yearn.

Once the Blessed One the Buddha said "When this world is ever ablaze, why this laughter, why this jubilation ? Shrouded in darkness, why don't you seek the light ?" We are very fortunate to be born as human beings. But, unfortunately uncivilised and uncultured people dramatically change the peaceful atmosphere into a violent and ferocious milieu.

The 21st century was born in terror and now more than half a decade later globally, people still experience and endure the effect and repercussion of terror. Now the fear of global warming and climate change has become the burning issue and it is going to be the most dreadful and extremely catastrophic disaster and ineffable calamity.

Twenty five centuries ago the Supreme teacher the Gotama Buddha profoundly introduced the unique guidelines and very important precepts which his disciples should observe and follow to protect whole ecological system.

In a particular chapter of his book 'Rethinking life and Death' Professor Peter Singer has impressively and commendably mentioned that the only religious master who imposed the guidelines to protect the environment, was the Buddha.

In fact now the crucial time has arrived for us to reflect and contemplate wisely on how we should help to manage this crisis.

It is profoundly important to mindfully contemplate on our own duties and responsibilities. If one does perform and fulfil one's own commitments and responsibilities, we will never repent. If not the repercussions would be disastrous.

One may have pleasant and unpleasant memories in the past. One should be mindful and careful not to commit any act which creates unpleasant atmosphere and the memory in one's heart. Wholesome memories always create innermost peace and happiness.

"The doer of good delights here, he delights hereafter:
he delights in both worlds. The thought, "Good have I done",
delights him, and he delights even more when gone to realms of bliss"

- The Gotama Buddha