Treat Others as You would wish to be Treated

Hello! Welcome to "How Can I Make It A Better World?"

All world one happy family.

A Story - I am as clever as anybody else!

     Four friends went to a week end meditation retreat.

     At the retreat they were pampered in luxury with delicious food, and ample comforts.

     They were made to relax, and given discourses in how to control one's mind, one's thoughts, because, it was said that if you could rule your thoughts, you were fit enough to be the emperor of your own life.

     On the second day of their stay at the retreat centre, they had to practice the ultimate in mind control, to stay silent, to not utter a single word for twenty-four hours. To heighten their awareness, they would have to miss out on breakfast and the mid-day lunch, and be served only some fruit in the evening.

     All went well through the day for the four initiates confined to silence and to a single room.

     Late into the evening pangs of hunger forced thoughts of food to banish any divine thoughts all four may have been led to believe in. Seconds, minutes and hours ticked by, and all control over one's thoughts was lost, as all the four could think of was of their dire hunger.

    A waiter then happened to pass by the door of their room, with a tray laden with grapes, and oranges, and bananas and what not. All four monks-to-be expected the waiter to next turn into their room with the tray.

     To their horror and surprise, the waiter continued to walk along the corridor past their room.

     So one of the four helpfully guided the waiter, "Waiter, that fruit is for us here."

     The second friend felt it was his duty to remind his friend of their duty, "We are meant not to talk."

      At this the third had to proclaim his wisdom. "You two are stupid. You should not have talked."

      The fourth friend would not be left  behind in announcing his cleverness. "I am the only one who could remain silent," he said.

      Listening to the four chatting away the waiter walked on with his tray of fruit saying, "This is for the non-talking group, which you obviously are not."

 TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WISH TO BE TREATED.

      One simple way I can make it a better world is to follow the ancient adage, "Do unto others as you would do unto you."

      Another way of saying the same is  "As you sow, so will  you reap."

     Obviously you do not harm, or even think of harming, others.

     I will go further.

     I will say that even when someone has harmed you, you do not retaliate by wishing the other any  harm.

     An eye for an eye leaves both people blind. What good is that?

     Better to forgive the other for the evil he has done to me.

     I have even re-written the epics of Ramayan and Mahabharat  such that the stories progress on thev basis of love and forgiveness of the criminals.  (See A New Year's Fairy Tale, Nov.2010, and Make Peace not War, Oct.2010)

     Will I make the world a better place with these approach to life?

     I try, and see what happens.

     Wishing you joy and abundance,  Shree-1