dharmavidya's quotation on the 'do no harm' site

Do No Harm is one of those wonderful impossible ideals that inspire us. "Cease from ill; Do only good; Do good for others. Purify your mind." As what the Japanese call "bombu" i.e. ordinary fallible beings of wayward passion and boundless karma we all do harm while wishing to do less of it and it always helps to have that aspiration strengthened as it is by the love of our friends. The key is to embrace, to esteem all that is in our world as best we can. Esteem and embrace the other. All forms of enlightenment are intended to help us become open to others. Shakyamuni became enlightened when he saw the morning star - our life is full of such stars and if we can allow each thing to be a star it will start to glow and our world will be full of new light.

These days there is a strong tendency to see everything in selfish terms. The reason for doing something is, apparently to be located in the good that will come back to us. No doubt good does come back... however, it is just possible that the impulse to love is actually more fundamental in our lives than the impulse to gain. Whether it is true or not, simply thinking so makes huge difference to one's life. How lucky we all are to have such a beautiful world full of loveable beings of so many kinds.

Dharmavidya (David Brazier)
http://www.amidatrust.com

::link to 'do no harm'

Comments

[c.c.keiser]

I have a wish.

I wish to live in a kinder and more compassionate world.

We can philosophize and meditate about what do no harm means, and delve ever
deeper into the essence of doing no harm, but the simple truth is, all that
philosophy and meditation, all that searching for the essence, means little
without a kind and compassionate world to practice in.

If we are to create a kinder and more compassionate world, our simple
message of “do no harm” must make its way into the hearts and minds of those who
need it the most – all 7 billion of us

I have many friends of all different religions, beliefs, backgrounds,
politics, social status and just about any other diversity you care to think of.
When we get together, we do so as friends, and we enjoy each others company in
spite of everything else. Yeah, we argue a bit, but we all respect each other
and our differences. In fact, I think it just may be our differences we
enjoy about each other most.

But one thing we all know; if one falls down, the rest will extend a helping
hand. If one is under duress, we all will come to their rescue.

We know and trust each other not to take advantage, or do any harm.

That is the kind of world we should and must have.

In that kind of world doing no harm is not a hard thing to do, it's not
something we even have to think about, it just comes naturally, in fact, in a world
of friends doing no harm is easy.

We need a world of 7 billion friends.
Thank you for being one of them! ;o)

Do No Harm
http://donoharm.us

chuck