Simplify your life and you will see the Zen arise. Again, a cluttered place means a cluttered mind. So if you want to reach a state of Zen in your life then you have to simplify what you own. No matter what religion you follow or if you follow none at all they all teach compassion, love for others and to do what is right and not what hurts others or yourself. Buddhism is no different, there is a path that we follow and that path has rules for living.
There are some truths we live by and some rules we follow that are there because they work and have worked for thousands of years. There has never been one war started in the name of the Buddha, can our religions state that? That is because Buddhism teaches peace, love and compassion as our main path, not subsidiaries. If Buddhists are not compassionate, they are not following the teachings of the Buddha.
You do not even have to be Buddhist to understand and see the reality of truth in the words that follow:
1- Life is suffering
2- There are reasons for the suffering
3- Mainly cravings and attachments are why we suffer
4- There is a way to end the suffering
1- Right livelihood- Do you have a moral job?
2- Right action- Do you abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) & doing harm intentionally or delinquently? Do you abide by the 5 precepts?
3- Right speech- Do you lie and gossip?
4- Right concentration- Do you meditate daily?
5- Right Mindfulness- Do you concentrate on everything you do, live in the moment?
6- Right intention- Is what you do for your benefit or the benefit of other?
7- Right effort- Do you try hard enough or do you give up prematurely on things?
8- Right view- Do you see & understand things as they really are & realize the Four Noble Truths?
The first set of words are Buddhisms four noble truths. The second set of words is Buddhisms noble eight fold path. These are truths and rules to live by if you want to produce a state of Zen in your life. Anytime you do something for someone else do it out of kindness, not out of wanting something for yourself. Just do it because and you will be practicing true compassion. You have heard it said that it is better to give than to receive.
Happiness comes to you because you are making others happy. Its a natural phenomena. Compassion not only for your fellow man but also for animals and the earth is all part of changing from that ignorant state that man is born into to that wise, enlightened state that man can learn to become. If you truly want to reach a state of Zen in your life, practice the art of compassion. Namaste.
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