Our present circumstances are by no means accidental. As the
Buddhist sage Nichiren Daishonin wrote, quoting a sutra: ‘If you want to understand the
causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in
the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in
the future, look at the causes that exist in the present.’
I have been immensely encouraged and motivated by these
words to pursue the path of goodness even amidst unpleasant situations. The
urge to give up has crept in every now and then but these lines have served as
a constant reminder to persevere and not give up. What the above lines try to convey is very
simple – that our present is a result of the causes made in the past and that
our future is determined by our actions or the causes we create through our
thoughts, words and actions in the present. While I have little control over my past
actions, the future is very much in my control. This is an absolutely
delightful and empowering thought for me. So for the sake of a brighter future,
I have to be cautious about the causes I create in my present existence.
This simple awareness has been a deterrent to many negative
causes that I could have created along the way. Not only does a good cause made
in the present have a positive effect in the future but the effect is
manifested right here and now. We all know deep within our hearts when we go
wrong. When we are able to suppress that urge to do wrong and convert it to a
positive cause, the feeling is one of tremendous joy. So the present becomes
happy and is a bonus for the future too so a win-win situation in all cases.
This is not to say in the least that I have never faltered
but the magnitude has definitely reduced with this understanding. While we have
little control over the reaction of others, our responses are very much our own
choice. So the key really is changing ‘oneself’ and not waiting for others to
change. Sometimes people are
unreasonable, mean and rude for no reason. And to be kind to them in return is
probably the most difficult thing under the sun. It is easier to ‘give it back
to them’. Having tried and tested both,
I realize the first option is the better of the two. This is not the
conventional route, so don’t fall into the trap of viewing it as a sign of
weakness because being good to someone who is hurting you is actually a sign of
tremendous strength. To choose to remain calm while someone else is instigating
to bring out the devil in you is a sign of victory and the immediate benefit
one derives is a sense of triumph over ones weaker self.
It is definitely a difficult task to persevere in the act of
kindness to others but I am totally convinced that kindness pays back in our
lives in a way greater than we imagined. It is just a matter of when. So I will
strive to be patient until then and continue my acts of kindness towards others
with complete sincerity in my heart. Will you?
