29.7.07

Sound advice

Avoid associating with deluded people in this world who are ignorant of the truth of causality and karmic retribution, who are heedless of past, present and future, and cannot distinguish good from evil. The principle of causality is obvious and impersonal; for inevitably those who do evil fall, and those who do good rise. If there were no causality, the Buddhas would not have appeared in this world, nor would Bodhidharma have come from the west.

But is this possible?
Jordan

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Often.

It's often a good idea. It's not always easy to see. It's not always easy to discriminate.

You learn; the hard way.

Anonymous said...

BUT

It's not always appropriate to do so.

If you've been silly enough to make a vow to help all sentient beings to achieve liberation then you are on a dangerous path if you start to pick and choose. It's not the vow you took.

You know that with the army once you sign on the line you don't get to choose your battles.

However, there is a difference between choosing to associate with knowledge of what you are getting into and association through not recognising the signs.

Think of a crocodile park. The people who work there recognise crocodiles and know how to approach them and what the dangers are. That is quite different from someone who does not recognise a crocodile and so walks right into snapping distance.

Even more difficult if the crocodile is pretending to be a heron.

OBTW If you protect the fish do you harm the heron? Best not to collect Karma methinks.

SlowZen said...

Looking at the phrase, it is rife with contradictions, or words that contradict how I try and look at stuff.

I have a lobster bib, but it is not sighned.

No pond defense in place, what I was planning would not have directly harmed the heron, just discouraged it from dining on my fish.

of course the solution I have settled on is cheaper, faster less expensive fish. For the cost of one 12" koi I could get 100+ of the little commits. No collection here.

always,I appreciate your comments.
Jordan

Gregor said...

I think it's possible. It's not easy, not difficult. Most people don't fall into either category of "good" or "evil", and I don't think this is about picking and choosing either. . .but obviously there are circles and communities of people that can encourage us to grow and behave skillfully, just as their are groups of people that would encourage us from not following a skillful our path. No need to live by this of course, we'll know it when we see it. I've made plenty of mistakes in life and ultimately I am responsible for each of them. But, I think it good advice not to keep putting myself in situations that I know best not to.

I apologize for the long windiness.


-Greg

SlowZen said...

Greg,

Thank you for your comments. I do not think that good and evil are actually separate things. One persons good is another’s evil. Not long winded at all. I am short winded!

Gassho,
Jordan

Thanks for looking!