Published Monday, 11 November 2019
As iron is destroyed by the rust it produces,
so those who perform evil are corroded
by their own action.Dhammapada v.240
Contrary to what we might expect, owning up to the part we play in determining the quality of our lives can be energizing. If we were not taught at an early age about the law of kamma we easily entertain the view that it is others who define the quality of our life. We assume we need others to act and speak in ways that don’t offend us. The Buddha’s teachings tell us that essentially whether we are confused or contented is the result of our own actions. Of course we will always experience the external world as agreeable and disagreeable. Whether or not we add to those experiences by indulging in liking and disliking is a choice.