While I will have to go and survive off of a civilian econemy for the first time in my adult life in just a short time, I am aware that I'm doing OK right now, and unless I screw up really bad, I should be pretty marketable for future employment. But I am filled with sorrow for those suffering and watching the clip above reminded me of that sense of helplessness that so many must be experiencing right now. When things like this come up, I find my self asking "What can I do?"
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born —
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
~ The Buddha
6 comments:
Jordan,
Ther poem appeared to me on a field of backward comma's and was not legible unless I copy and paste to a different background. Was that the intent?
Same here Jordan. I had to cut and paste it onto my notepad to see what it was..
I remember reading that this sutra was repeatedly chanted by Burmese monks in their demonstrations against the generals in 07.
Ah, the Metta Sutta... have your heard the story of how this sutta came to be given? It's a good one:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#ch2
Best wishes for sustained resource acquisition!
Peace,
-anon
Lauren,
That was not the intent at all, but I sure do appreciate your efforts at trying to get to it!
Jeff,
It displays fine for me, but I changed the format so please let me know how it works out.
Yes, it is interesting that you brought that up.
I recently listened to a talk where the speaker was discussing how loving kindness meditation probably won't change the "subject" of your meditation from being an idiot...
Anon,
Thanks.
The comma's are gone. To my browser the lines appear triple spaced. But that's okay. It allows me to take in each line on its own.
Cheers,
Jordan, It is much easier for me to see now. Thanks
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