Thinking Makes It So

The indignant "injured"

"I have been insulted! I have been hurt! I have been beaten! I have been robbed! Anger does not cease in those who harbor this sort of thought."1

In the last essay I spoke about people who like to tell of how cruel, selfish, dishonest, and disloyal others habitually are to them, and that they are merely telling us how cruel, selfish, dishonest, and disloyal they are. As Jesus said: "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."2 So those who speak habitually of evil, especially in an emotional or angry way, are harboring that very evil in their hearts. We have all known people who love to foster resentment, brooding on "wrongs" of various sorts, both personal, social, and religious. These desolate souls continually stir themselves up to negative emotions, seeking for justifications for their anger, hatred, and all-round discontent. Wishing to feel and spew out anger and hostility, they work themselves up into a state of "righteous indignation" that will hopefully cover up the evil that resides in them. Many hope that by pointing the finger at others their own evil will remain undetected.

The truth of things

The main idea of this quotation from the Dhammapada is that by such thinking people consciously perpetuate their anger-and therefore their delusion. From these we see that all delusion is not only self-caused, it is self-maintained-even self-defended. Such a state is classically pathological-sociopathic, actually, as it is used to manipulate others as well as one's self. Modern society trains its members to be sociopaths. We are never to blame for anything. Criminals have been "failed" by society. Laws make people criminals(!). Others have been failed or harmed by their family, religion, or close associates (including spouse). Others are failures because they did not have the support of family, friends, or society. (A great deal of government programs are based on sociopathic thinking.) The moving finger points everywhere but to the source: the individual himself. Psychiatry in many instances is a major factor in the creation of a sociopathic attitude. Buddha shows us how to free ourselves from this vicious cycle.

This is not easy, but Buddha is speaking to those who want to strive for enlightenment, not to those who want an easy path. The first step in weaning ourselves-or guarding ourselves-from falling into the muck trap of self-pity of this sort is the facing and accepting of some basic facts such as karma and the source of all things being in the mind.

Nothing that occurs in the world is an entity unto itself. Rather, all things are reactions to previous actions: karma. I am stolen from because I stole; I am lied about because I lied; I am harmed because I harmed. My actions may have been in previous lives, but the reaction is no less a revelation of my present life. And it is much more a revelation of my mind as it is right now. Karma is like an echo. What we shout will be shouted back at us. In the nineteenth century children were often told the following story to get this idea across.

A little boy once visited his aunt who lived in a valley were sounds were echoed. One day he came into the house and told her: "There is a bad little boy who lives up on the hill." "Really? And how do you know he is bad?" inquired the aunt. "Because he called me bad names." The aunt understood the situation. The little boy had called out something while playing and heard an echo of his voice. Thinking it was another child, he began calling out and became frustrated by the "bad boy" just repeating everything he said. He started calling out insults, and got them back, so he went to "tell on" the bad boy to his aunt, who sat him down and told him the facts, showing him that he was only getting back what he had first projected.

Our life is a continuous stream of karmic echoes. Yes, others become instruments for the manifestation of the karma, but we are the origin of it all. So who shall we blame? As Pogo said: "We have met the enemy and they are us." The answer is to get busy and change ourselves. Then our lives will change automatically.

Ending hate

"Occasions of hatred are certainly never settled by hatred. They are settled by freedom from hatred. This is the eternal law."3

Let us not waste our time trying to apply this to world peace or strife among nations. Certainly the principle enunciated by Buddha would bring peace, but vast numbers of people are simply not going to follow spiritual wisdom. That is the nature of the world. It is the violent ward of the lunatic asylum we call the universe. Everyone here is either an active or a recovering homicidal maniac. This is the truth. Recovery is never in a group; it is entirely an individual matter. The intelligent recognize this and work toward their own recovery so they can be released from the cosmic booby hatch. They may encourage and even assist other individuals who wish to further their own cure, but they can accomplish nothing on a mass level.

Also, we need to cure ourselves of addiction to "others." We are individuals and have to live as individuals. What others think or do should not influence us at all. Whether we are supported or opposed it should make no difference. We should do the needful and get off the revolving wheel of birth and death. And it is only done one-by-one, not in batches or multitudes. Buddha's wisdom must be applied personally to our own lives. Even if millions do so it will still be absolutely individual. The great forest is green because each tree in the forest is green. There is no "universal green" in the forest, it is all individual.

All right: what shall we do? Well, first of all, negativity is never counteracted by like negativity. So we do not react with hatred, anger, or suchlike. But neither do we mistakenly think that "positive" reaction is the answer either. Yes, I know, we have been told from Day One that love overcomes hatred, generosity overcomes selfishness, and gentleness overcomes violence. IT DOES NOT. Since negativity directed toward us comes from within us, our overt response effects nothing. Buddha does not say that love cancels out hatred. He says something far more profound (and practical): freedom from hatred within ourselves eliminates hatred directed toward us. Nothing else. Oh, indeed, we can shame others by our positive reaction, and even make them conclude (selfishly) that "nice" is more advantageous than "nasty." But in the long-term nothing will change, just be delayed.

Until we are freed from negativity-consciously and subconsciously-negativity will occur in our life. That is the fact. Buddha says: "This is the eternal law." Until we become incapable of evil our lives will be riddled with evil.

Peace with others

"Others may not understand that we must practice self-control, but quarrelling dies away in those who understand this fact."4

What? Buddha is advocating repression? Horror! We all know how destructive repression is, don't we? No, we do not. We only hope it is destructive so we can run amok in our life-sphere and rejoice in our "healthy self-expression." Buddha is not so sophisticated; he prefers the truth. Self-mastery is essential for peace with ourselves and with others. It is definitely true that (most) others will not understand "that we must practice self-control," but that should matter not at all to us. We should just go ahead and do it and let them eat our dust.

Quarrelling should not just not take place; it must die. That is, the root of ego that produces quarrelling must be dissolved like the root of a baby tooth. Self-control does the dissolving to a great extent.

In such a few sentences Buddha has told us the way to both inner and outer peace. May we follow that way and demonstrate their truth.

More Commentary on the Dhammapada:

1. The Mind is All 2. Thinking Makes It So 3. Conquered or Conqueror? 4. The Unworthy and the Worthy 5. Seeing Wrong 6. Rainproofing Our Mind 7. The Two Ways of Life and Death 8. Words Are Not Wisdom 9. The Holy Life Defined 10. The Secret of Immortality 11. The Way of the Wise 12. Expanding Glory 13. Each Man Must Make An Island 14. The Foolish and the Wise 15. The View From On High 16. The Way To Excellence 17. The Wayward Mind

18. The Struggling Mind 19. The Real “Pursuit of Happiness” 20. Conquering Death 21. The Bees and the Flowers 22. The Traits of a Fool 23. The Deeds of a Fool 24. The Worthy Teacher 25. Determining Association 26. The Ways of the Wise 27. The Wisdom of Renunciation 28. Virtuous, Wise, and Righteous 29. Crossing Over 30. “No More Distress” 31. The Swans 32. The Treasure of the Gods 33. The Thousands 34. Evil

1) Dhammapada 3 [Go back]

2) Luke 6:45 [Go back]

3) Dhammapada 5 [Go back]

4) Dhammapada 6 [Go back]