Napoleon Hill, in his Laws of Success described that “Thoughts are things!” James Allen has also stated that Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions when repeated become habits, habits become character and finally, character determines our destiny. Thus, right thoughts will lead to positive lives while wrong thoughts will lead to negative lives.
Yes, thoughts are the origins of all believes and actions that can lead to success or failure, joy or sadness, bliss or sufferings. “We are what we think. Whether we think we can or we think we cannot, we are right!” (Henry Ford).
The 15 defilements of greed, ill-health, envy, jealousy, hostility, hypocrisy, obstinacy, vanity, arrogance, presumption, conceit, denigration, dominance, fraud and negligence are the seeds of sufferings. These defilements are negative thoughts which create negative results in our lives to cause us sufferings and miseries. Fortunately, the Buddha has provided us with the six ways (Restraining; Using; Tolerating; Avoiding; Destroying; Developing) to remove these defilements from our minds. When practiced earnestly, we will master and calm our minds and be able to remove these defilements, thus, eliminating sufferings.
1. Restraining
We should restrain from all that pleases our minds but are poisons to us. For example, most of the popular fast food in the market today is what nutritionists would call junk food. They are bad for our hearts and our health and yet we consume them like there is no tomorrow! We tend to not want to believe what health advocates inform us but instead prefer to accept the messages transmitted to us by the fast food companies through their advertisements. Also, sugar is sweet to our taste, but is a major cause of diabetes which can harm us in so many organs of our bodies. Yet, the amount of Coca-cola drunk is frighteningly high! The forbidden fruits are sweeter syndrome seem to manifest itself to dictate the way we live and behave!
Thus, when we develop the discipline to restrain from what is not good for our body, mind and spirit, we would cause a positive mental attitude to be formed.
2. Using
Use all that we are, all that we have, all there is, to cultivate peace. Dedicate our talents and our resources and use them for the good of ourselves and our
communities.
Every one of us has the talent and potential to be great and do great things.
Yes, do not under estimate the little things that we can do. What all the little
things that each of us do will eventually culminate into big things. The ripple
of a single butterfly’s wings flapping can cause a tornado! Ordinary people
can really do extraordinary things!
Use what little resources we have to better our lives and all that surround us.
Do everything that we do with our best intention and efforts and we will
create an environment of harmony and goodwill, thus creating happiness for
all. Make it our habits to improve ourselves each day so that, tomorrow, we will be better than we are today. As we improve ourselves little by little, day by day, we will without our awareness become much better humans. Use our talents and endowments to do all the good we can to make our world a better place for all. Remember that how we do anything is how we do everything and how we do everything is how we do anything!
Tags: Thoughts
