A Letter from Buddha to his Disciple

You wipe kayoed asked of me for help in how to cure your suffer of his sickness. I appreciate that your father is a good and righteous man and you are fortunate to have had a good man for a father. But I bearnot take away his pain. That is some social function that no angiotensin converting enzyme and only(a) can really do for if there is anything that is constant in every persons life, it is suffering. Life is suffering. That is peerless of the noble truths. Learn this and it can just be the very thing that would convey you, your family, and even your father enlightenment.Also remember that sorcery and miracles promised by magicians will do you no good for it is a accessionst the Laws of Karma and can only bring harm. I have analysen the suffering and ugliness caused by disease and the sadness caused by mans mortality. (Moore-Brooder, 2005, p. 499) Truly if one would compare the life I led with my family one would say I am truly favored by the gods. When I was young I li ved a life full of pleasures and worldly vices. But it can be a paradox on how ones blessings are defined by pain and suffering.It was only after(prenominal) bearing witness to the many instances and forms of suffering, that I sought fulfillment of my existence and ultimately, enlightenment. Mans life is incomplete without pain. nevertheless from the time of birth both mother and child experience pain. But once one has transcended pain, he becomes a new man and thus, reborn. I give you my story of the mother Gotami-tissa whose son succumbed to disease. (Morgan, 1956, p. 23) She went from gateway to door seeking a miracle that would bring back her sons life continually being told that such a thing was impossible.She came to me for help, wringing her hands and prostrating herself so that I may bring her son back to life. I asked her for mustard seeds. not just any ordinary mustard seed, but she must collect seeds that came from homes that remained untouched by melancholy and death . Later on she came back to me and confessed that she was unable to get any seed for all the homes she visited have experienced death. Death is not a circumstance special to just one person. It is unavoidable and constant. By perceptiveness this, she was cured of her grief and has been able to continue living as a new woman.In my teachings I have continually mentioned mans mortality, his impermanence. Nothing on earth is permanent other than death. Its stealth is legendary and one never really knows when it will come. I urge you my son, to practice dharma in order that your life may be fulfilled and protected from bad karma. For if you do no wrong, why should there be consequences? Today we see many people doing everything within their power to attain their ambition. Some may by chance reason out it is not so wrong but truly, if one would like to live on the side of right, one has to choose definitely between right or wrong without compromise.Live in freedom and self-mastery to fu lly please the gift that is life. Bad things are constant. Suffering is constant. The only thing you can really control and gain mastery of is yourself. Learn to take the middle path in life for it is the way to happiness. Know that a life of extremes is bad and will ultimately bring more suffering. I exhort you to learn to reflection within yourself and develop an interpreting and acceptance of what goes on around you. Aiming to change others can sometimes be a futile practice.I myself can teach what I have learned and woken up to realize, yet unfeigned enlightenment can only come from within a person himself. Some may perhaps say, I will seek enlightenment later or I have tried to understand life before but failed. But past failure is past and the future is uncertain in many ways. Indeed, it can happen that tomorrow or later in the day may be all of what remains of the future. Seek enlightenment now, and cherish the moment. So when death comes, you do not sorrowfulness nor do you have fear of the next life for you die with knowledge of having lived not just a good life, but a righteous one. Buddha References Morgan, K. W. (Ed. ). (1956). The Path of the Buddha Buddhism Interpreted by Buddhists. New York Ronald Press. Retrieved family line 23, 2007, from Questia database http//www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5883323 Moore-Bruder. (2005). Philosophy The Power of Ideas, Sixth Edition Ohio McGraw-Hill Carrithers, M. (2001). The Buddha A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, England Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from Questia database http//www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101647070