Sundays With Buddha

To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.

                                                                                                  --Buddha

Week 43

Though the Buddha lived and taught around 500 years before Christ, there are many similarities between the Buddha's teachings and the Bible. The idea of "idle hands" from Christianity is very similar to the lesson taught here. This is not a religious discussion, however; I am merely pointing out another similarity between the two in hopes that more understanding is felt and that there is no "right and wrong" way to becoming a more divine and loving being. 

My words are never meant to anger anyone; on the contrary it is to hopefully unite us all by teaching compassion and respect for each other and our beliefs. If we are all longing to meet at the same destination, what does it matter which path we take as long as we all take the high road? 

That being said, the lesson here is clear to me, just as the lessons in the Bible also imply in Proverbs 10:4 "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches", 1 Timothy 5:13 "Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not" and 1 Thessalonians 5:14 "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all". 

This sounds like a calling for us to be diligent in helping others to succeed while it is also a warning that idle hands and idle minds are more apt to create trouble. Foolish idle people who don't care to busy themselves with matters of doing good such as helping others, creating joy around them for the sake of themselves and others, praying or meditating, taking care of their bodies, minds and finances, and tending to their own personal business, like the diligent person does, often give themselves over to mischief, gossip, laziness, and other non productive idle thoughts and actions. 

What I believe this lesson to be teaching for our modern world is that it's just as important in this time to mind our own business while still maintaining the charitable heart towards others and to pay attention to how we live our lives and each day try to do good for ourselves as well as all beings, so that we do not fall victim of our idle minds.

As I have written about before, it is definitely hard to break habits that we have perfected for most of our lives. Our ways are ingrained in us and it will take hard work, diligent work, to change. But becoming better, at least trying to put forth the effort to be better, for the sake of bettering the world, even if just your circle of it...is that not worth the effort? 

I hope you believe it is. Because that means someone else believes it is. And your effort will shine through and encourage the next, and their's will, and so on. 

Diligence.  

Thanks for reading today.

Namaste

Nanette