Want happiness?

Taking a step back sometimes lets you look at the big picture, a picture you were a part of, a picture you will be a part of once again after the temporary step back. When inside this picture we are constantly trying to figure out what we want to draw, what the drawing means, how the drawing of life will turn out to be. We make plans, get hurt, go out, try to make sense of things and seek distractions. When the picture does not look good we wonder why the picture is bad and how other painters appear to be painting a better picture when in your point of view you have done nothing wrong to deserve it.
We hope, we wait, we seek a distraction from the bad picture that seems to be drawing on our own canvas.

We help other painters, we do good, however do we painters deep inside our hearts expect that good to come to us once again? do we give but hold on? expect a better picture for ourselves because we have helped other painters?

The truly happy painter helps other painters draw their picture but expects nothing in return. He himself draws, but he draws wisely. He understands that the nature of the painting is such that it will be good at times and bad at others. He accepts the nature of the painting for what it really is, he does not try to control it, he is at peace with the canvas and has the bliss of knowing he helped other painters. He helped without expecting anything in return, he has no attachments. He is at peace.

As the famous story goes, one person says to another: "I want happiness", the other reaches  and erases "I want" and said, there you go now you are left with "happiness".
Be the smart painter, draw when you have to, help other painters when you can, understand the nature of the painting, do a great job and truly let go.

- May all beings be well and happy. 

Holding On - the cause of suffering

We suffer because we hold on , because we are attached to concepts, ideas, feelings, emotions, etc. We have all grown up in an environment that promotes these thoughts, to live within the world built on top of concepts. If one is able to break away from these concepts and see it at a high level for what life really is, that I believe is a true victory. Then when you hear the true Dhamma, to understand what is being said and to know that there is a path shown to us, one we must walk ourselves. Then arises a a positive feeling, a happiness that there is a way out of it all. Once the realisation that nothing is permanent settles inside you, and the fact that death can come to you at any given moment, we should, to the best of our ability try to walk the path... walk the path and see through it to completion.

A nice story I heard about how holding on causes suffering:

Once there were two monks walking through the forest to their shelter. They came across a river not very deep which they had to cross. However the boat was on the other side and they had to cross by foot. There was also a lady who was unable to cross, so while the senior monk was on his way to the other side, the junior monk offered to help the lady cross the river and carried her to the other side.  The senior monk did not approve of this and was angry at the junior monk for his act.

Once on the other side the junior monk bid farewell to the lady and joined the senior monk on their walk back to the shelter. The senior monk was furious at this point but said nothing. Once back in the shelter the senior monk who was not unable to control his anger due to the increased heat of thinking about the act over and over in his mind shouted at the junior monk.

The junior monk replied: I left the lady at the river, it looks like you have brought her with you all this way.

Moral: do not carry luggage of emotion, attachment (good or bad) etc. with you, it weighs you down.

- May all beings be well and happy.